Fantasy Thunder
by Blue Dragon X
Summary: (Final Fantasy VII-X) Forces from across the universe unite to surpass an unimaginable obstacle, contend with villains old and new, and clash with a machine of horrible destruction. (Complete)
1. Chapter 1: Alpha

Fantasy Thunder Chapter 1: Alpha  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Alpha is the beginning. The fighters regroup and prepare for a long and hard battle.  
  
"You are my warriors", stated an old man. His skin was a tan brownish color. Slightly wrinkled at the eyes. He wore a white praetexta to match the feel of his purpose and the necessity of his 'mission'. Through his pale green eyes he stared at the dozens of powerful warriors before him, bred specifically for combat. The had strengths, but some terrible weaknesses. These weaknesses were well hidden.  
  
"We know, we know . . .". One of the warriors dressed in similar attire spoke directly to him.  
  
"I am glad", the old man continued. "I hope you all understand that we deserve what we are aiming for. These four took the world away from us. We will get it back!" Everyone cheered.  
  
"Pyros! Pyros!" they all chanted. Pyros was his name. He was the one master of the great warriors before him.  
  
"But sir!" Pyros took a minute to answer the call of one of his warriors.  
  
"What is it, dear boy?"  
  
"Our enemies are separated, scattered throughout the universe. How do we take them all at once?"  
  
"Dear boy, we will unite them." There was murmuring among the crowd.  
  
"How?" asked one wondering man.  
  
"Oren. Oren Murasaki"  
  
Cloud opened his eyes. They felt heavy because of all the sleep. Even though he thought that heavy eyes came from the lack of sleep, he had other things on his mind.  
  
He stepped out of the bed, already dressed.

Slept in my clothes again, he thought.

It had been about two months since Midgar had been nearly blown apart with the rest of the world. Two months since Aeris had saved the planet. Two months since Shinra had fallen. Two months since Sephiroth. . .  
  
Cloud had been living in Kalm since then, and the people had welcomed him and Tifa. He was thinking of marrying her, he even had the ring in mind, but something inside him wouldn't work every time he worked up enough courage. They both lived happily in the small house in Kalm. They had almost made Cloud mayor, even. Tifa had built a new bar, her old one decimated by the effects of meteor being so close to the planet. She was the bouncer of her own bar, which was amusing to most people who didn't really know her.

Until she beats the living daylights out of some drunkard, Cloud thought, smiling to himself.  
  
Barret hadn't been satisfied with his achievement in helping to save the planet and everyone on it. He wanted to right his wrongs as much as he could. It had been a long two months, but the reconstruction of Corel was almost complete. At first, the people rejected him, but when Barret moved in funding from an unknown source operating at the Gold Saucer, the people accepted him.  
  
Sadly, Barret had been the only person from his gang that Cloud had kept in touch with, and he didn't know what had happened to the rest of his old friends. That was why he and Tifa had planned that day to go visit each and every on of them at where they were most likely to be.  
  
"Are you up yet?"  
  
Cloud looked up to find Tifa, already dressed and ready to travel. The look on her face told him that he had spent way too much time thinking about past events.  
  
"Sorry" He smiled sheepishly and stood up, stretching out his muscles. It had been a while since he had gotten a good workout, and it was vital that he stayed in shape, even if there wasn't much work for a mercenary nowadays.  
  
The smile on Tifa's face clearly showed that all was forgiven. She stepped into the doorway of the small room.  
  
"Red called us for the first time. He said he had been busy, but there was something at Cosmo Canyon that he said we should see", said Tifa. Her face became serious. "He said it was important that we come as quickly as possible" Cloud's expression matched Tifa's.  
  
"Then let's go".  
  
Cid had taken the Highwind back to Rocket Town for modifications after its rough flight, but Cloud had kept a boat that the people of Kalm gave to him as a reserve vehicle in the event that they needed to travel, so that was the first destination. They would sail around the continent to the beach close to Cosmo Canyon for a timely arrival.  
  
Cloud took a small bag that held a few essentials and followed Tifa out the door. It was a beautiful day outside. The sun was high in the sky and the warm rays seemed to make the people friendlier than usual. The couple made their way down the blue pavement and the crowds of people that thronged it. The cities had expanded quite a bit ever since the use of Mako was outlawed and the natural resources increased. People had also become healthier and started to live longer and produce more. In a short time, it seemed as if the planet itself had made a serious comeback from its previous condition.  
  
Cloud looked at Tifa, who he noticed had a worried look on her face. The same look Cid got when he thought he was out of cigars.  
  
"Is something wrong?" he inquired. Tifa looked up as if startled out of a trance as they reached the edge of the town a few more steps away.  
  
"N-nothing! I just thought about something."  
  
"What?"  
  
Tifa saw that he wouldn't give up easily, so she sighed and began to explain.  
  
"Look up there"  
  
Cloud looked ahead towards the water, but didn't notice anything strange.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Our speedboat. Doesn't something seem out of place?"  
  
Cloud checked again as the approached the shoreline.  
  
"What is it? I don't. . . Woah!"  
  
The plank leading to the deck was already in place on the sand of the beach, and the ship was no longer tied to a post, but docked on the sand.  
  
"Tifa, someone moved our boat"  
  
"Exactly", Tifa said, her face growing more worried.  
  
"But the strange thing is, it wasn't sabotaged or busted or anything like that. . ."  
  
"But someone made it more convenient for us to get on", Tifa finished for Cloud.  
  
"Why would someone do that? I don't think that we told anyone we were leaving", Cloud wondered aloud.  
  
"Lets not worry about it just now", Tifa urged quickly. "They didn't do anything wrong, so lets just go see Red."  
  
Cloud nodded his head in agreement. The speedboat was a new one built by the finest engineers of Junon. It was a simple white color because it had been made quickly, but carefully. The design was sleek, about fifteen feet long, and built for one thing: Getting to where you wanted to go, and getting there fast.  
  
Cloud kept this in mind as he stepped onto the boat with Tifa and started up the engine. The couple sat on the deck in front next the navigational wheel that Cloud manned. With a mighty roar, the engine started and they were off to Cosmo Canyon.  
  
Tifa looked down into the long floor of blue that was the ocean. It seemed so welcoming and uninviting at the same time. She looked up at Cloud from her position on deck near the railing as the boat sped forward and made a small turn.  
  
"Cloud, do you still think about Aeris?"  
  
Cloud was silent for a while, and then replied.  
  
"All the time. I actually can't get her out of my head. I'm really only starting to accept that she's gone."  
  
"I understand. I always thought she would be with us forever. Like our light of hope, as if she were the star player of a soccer team were we were all her teammates"  
  
"Except now, she's gone, and we don't feel like playing any more."  
  
"Exactly! I feel like I'm doing her wrong Cloud. I can't get over the feeling. Every time I'm with you I feel like I'm breaking our friendship. As if I'm stealing you."  
  
Cloud was quiet as he digested the information.  
  
"I understand, Tifa. For a while it was as if I was turning my back on her. But didn't she do what she did so the planet and everyone on it could live on?"  
  
Tifa was silent.  
  
"Tifa, Aeris would want us to be happy. That's what she died for. And she would know that we would never forget her. She would know that she always resided in our hearts."  
  
"But, even if that's so, would she mind if she thought her best friend was taking her love?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Would she care if she knew that her love would have eventually left her for me?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Cloud, I'm not sure I can go on much longer if I think that she would resent me for what you and I share."  
  
"The boat hadn't been the only thing worrying you, had it?"  
  
"No, and this isn't the first time my memory of Aeris has been haunting me"  
  
The boat was almost at its destination, with the shore of the beach in sight, Cloud slowed down a bit.  
  
"I can't keep living like this if I keep thinking.that Aeris would hate me if she came back. That she would ask 'Why Tifa? Why did you betray me?' Can you live like that Cloud?! Cloud?!"  
  
Tifa was on the verge of sobbing and Cloud stared straight ahead, with sorrow plastered on his face. Suddenly the look transformed into one of alertness.  
  
"Look out!" he yelled as he knocked Tifa into the deck with all his might, sending them both toppling to the wooden deck. They both felt the wind force itself out of their lungs as they hit the surface hard. Tifa looked up and saw a knife sticking in the railing she had just been in front of. A man in white clothing and wild red hair jumped on board gracefully. He slammed the deck, and with one mighty blow, the boat stopped moving in the middle of the ocean.  
  
"Very good! I thought that would kill you for sure!" His black eyes echoed confidence as he withdrew a Katana and a dagger from golden sheaths on his back. His large boots echoed across the deck as the walked.  
  
"What are you!" Cloud yelled more than inquired as he bolted up and withdrew the Ultima weapon from its hiding spot on his back, holding it in position against the aggressor.  
  
"I am Alpha!" the man roared. "I will take back what you and the four took from us. I will fight for Pyros! You all will by the first to die, despicable allies of Sephiroth!"  
  
The young summoner Yuna brushed her hair back to its original position before the playful pat that she had gotten from Wakka, who stood next to her on the Kilika dock.  
  
"You sure ya wanna stay here?" he asked. The retired blitzer had been with Yuna most of the afternoon. The poor girl had been crying her eyes out and whistling until she couldn't whistle any more. For two months she had stood at that very spot, hoping to call back the one who had escaped her. Tidus.  
  
"I will call him every day until I see him in the farplane. I would stay awake thinking that I brought him closer than sleep imagining that I could have done more." Yuna spoke in a soft voice as she always had when talking about him. It was all she could do to keep herself from breaking out in tears every time.  
  
"Me and the others are worrying about ya, girl. You can rest just a little while, ya?" Wakka shifted his weight to the other sandal and looked into Yuna's eyes that he had once again noticed were two different colors.  
  
"Wakka? Are you wondering about my eyes?" She tried to remove him from the subject so that she could wait just a little bit longer.  
  
"I was afraid to ask."  
  
Yuna smiled.  
  
"My mother was Al Bhed, remember? It was such a strange union, I was born with my right eye green and my left eye blue!" She started laughing, lightening the mood.  
  
"You must think I'm pretty weird"  
  
"No! At least dey're blue and green, and not that scary red! A certain someone scares me to death when she looks at me. You'd tink she was from a cemetery."  
  
"Wakka! That's not nice!" Yuna laughed uncontrollably as Wakka poked fun at Lulu and cheered her up with his funny Besaidian island accent.  
  
"And dose dolls, what up wit dat? Dey move when she does, too creepy. I tried touching one, almost burned my hair off!"  
  
"I heard you learned some black magic yourself"  
  
"I sure did! Watch dis!"  
  
Wakka pointed his hand towards the bright yellow afternoon sun as the stood at the edge of the dock.  
  
"Tunder!" Wakka yelled out the name of the spell, thunder. He felt the slight warm in his palm and the tingling over his body as the spell gathered and prepared to release.  
  
"Wakka!" Yuna screamed a warning, but it came too late. Poor Wakka was struck with his own thunder spell, and jumped up at the sudden jolt as the yellowish bolt cracked down out of nowhere from the sky above him.  
  
"YYYYYOOOOOWWWWWW!!"  
  
Wakka felt his rear that had been slightly charred, and ran a hand through his once reddish hair.  
  
"You tink dats pretty funny, eh?"  
  
Yuna tried to control her laughter. Wakka still could make her laugh.  
  
"Thank you, Wakka"  
  
"Any time, girl. You just come back home soon, okay? We have de airship ready."  
  
"Thank you. I will."  
  
With that, Wakka went around the inn at the other end of the dock and boarded the airship that was hovering near another dock. With a mighty roar, the large craft rose and flew off to an unknown destination.  
  
Machina had been heavily accepted since the fall of Sin and Yu Yevon himself. Even the highest holy men from Bevelle openly utilized them. Every city had built stone statues of every summoner, regardless of whether or not they had defeated Sin, in the Calm Lands. They stood lined from first to last. From Yunalesca to Yuna. Even Issaru had place there. Yuna and her guardians had been offered many things, but there was only one thing that Yuna herself wanted. Tidus.  
  
Her heart grew heavy as she remembered him. The look on his face when he jumped off of the airship's deck. After that she had screamed and passed out. Later, she recovered and immediately went to went to the nearest dock, which had been in Luca. She had whistled at every dock she could find since then. Tidus had always told her to find him by whistling. He had been smiling when he taught her how.  
  
She had perfected her whistling and desperately whistled every day at all of the places close to the ocean. She had heard the fayth speak of "dreaming new oceans for him to swim" Her hope had now brought her to Kilika. She whistled there now, hoping he would hear her.  
  
Tidus walked the surface of the strange blue that resembled an ocean where he could somehow breath.  
  
"Why am I here?" he asked for the thirty-seventh time.  
  
"You have asked that approximately thirty times" responded the fayth from an unknown location in the endless blue.  
  
"That's thirty-seven" corrected Tidus "and I deserve an answer"  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"Why do I care?! Why do I care!? I haven't used the bathroom in ages, there's no one to talk to but you, and worst of all, the sores on my feet are the size of Chocobo prints!"  
  
". . . Fine. If you really want an answer, I am dreaming for just a little longer. I am dreaming new oceans for you to swim."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I am going to try to put you back in the real world, boy."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I will finish dreaming this ocean until it is the exact size and shape of those in Spira, and using the artificial energy generated by the waves of my brain, the ocean you are in will be fused with another. Then you will appear in two places at once, and I will use my energy to project you away from this world so that you appear completely in the other. If all goes well then you should be back to where you came from, and my positive-energy waves from my brain will support you so you can live and die on Spira"  
  
"WHAT? I didn't understand a word of that"  
  
"You really don't have to, Tidus. Just be patient"  
  
"Well thanks!" Tidus lay on the ocean floor that resembled the coral famous at Kilika. For a while he felt that things were actually going his way. Especially since he hadn't even been able to see all of the people that died at the farplane. He would have really liked to talk to Auron again.  
  
"But then you would have to see Seymour, wouldn't you?" pointed the fayth.  
  
"You were reading my thoughts? I didn't know you could do that!"  
  
"How do you think I knew to tell you not to cry?"  
  
"Not to cry . . . not to cry..hey!"  
  
"So you figured it out, yes"  
  
"You're the fayth of Bahamut! Show yourself!" Tidus exclaimed as he instantly rose from the seabed and stamped his foot on the "ground".  
  
Out of the mist the small boy with the mesmerizing symbol on his back and the hood on his head with mostly tattered clothes appeared. He took of his hood to reveal mischievous brown eyes and messy hair.  
  
"Remember me? You'd better"  
  
"Y-you're not see-through anymore," Tidus stammered, pointing his finger accusingly at the small fayth.  
  
"Correct. You are in my world now, do you remember? You are the one that is transparent"  
  
Tidus looked down to discover that he indeed was of ghost-like appearance and was surprised at the way he was.  
  
"Wow! Hey, are you almost done? I'm achin' to get back! I miss all the food, the beds."  
  
"And Yuna?"  
  
"I. . . guess. Yeah. I tried to avoid the subject but, I just couldn't stop thinking about it and. Will you hurry up? I can't stand it here any more! I just want to see everybody. The thought of still being alive, and them not even knowing that I exist outside of the farplane is getting hard to bear, man. I just need out of here"  
  
"Almost done."  
  
KLIIIIKKKKK  
  
With a blast, Tidus felt himself curl up and appear inside an ocean that felt new. But how was it new? He noticed one thing.  
  
I'm noticing one thing. . . I can't breathe!  
  
With all of his blitzing instincts, he held his breath for as long as he could, and swam with a smile on his face upwards further and further.  
  
He could feel the water cascading past him like air as he struggled to break the surface of the blue before him. The dolphins gave him curious looks as he swam further and further up and right through the fishes. He also noticed a group of pyreflies, the beautiful lights of them glowing as he swam through the seas trailing the purple magical substance of the souls of those dead. He saw the light, and was almost there. And finally.  
  
"YEESSS!" Tidus broke the surface in a cascade of blue and jumped a good 15 feet above sea level, right over a dock that he immediately recognized was from Kilika. He looked at the lone figure that stared at him back.  
  
"Yuna" he whispered.  
  
"Tidus" she mouthed.  
  
With the climax of his appearance, Yuna passed out on the deck, and a surprised Tidus landed on the water with a loud slap.  
  
Squall Leonhart made his way to the Garden's elevator with his usual stride, slightly nervous because he had left his gunblade on the bridge. It's usual sheath was empty and it didn't make the normal click he was used to hearing as he walked.  
  
He also had to try to avoid the strange limp he knew he would face because his jeans weren't as weighted down as they usually were, and he wasn't used to walking like that.  
  
"Third floor" he commanded the elevator.  
  
Squall still cringed when he remembered the little incident with Zell's T- board that had forced him to installing the new software.  
  
Zell had been using the spare T-board he had in reserve from Balamb to skate all over the Garden's hallways ever since the Garden Staff had left. History repeated itself, and he skated straight into the women's restroom. After screams had been heard, Zell had skated to the elevator to get to the first floor and escape the angry females before they caught him and dragged him to the commander, which was Squall.  
  
Squall had been in the elevator at the time, and before he could push the button for the third floor, Zell skated in, pushed the button for the first floor, and prayed.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Squall had asked in his emotionless tone.  
  
"Oh! I have to get outta here until things cool down a bit. You can sympathize, right?"  
  
Squall really didn't have much of a choice, but he pushed the button for three to get back to his original destination.  
  
"Hey!" Zell had then pushed the button for one once again.  
  
It became a power struggle and in the end the elevator broke down and Zell and Squall were trapped there until the maintenance crew had fixed the elevator and restored it. Zell pushed the one button another time, and Squall chose not to repeat the same mistake. In the end, Squall missed his meeting and was scolded by Quistis, Nida, and Xu for his breach in decorum.  
  
After that, the commander proposed that a voice-activated elevator was installed and it only followed the command of the first person it heard after fulfilling another like most elevators.  
  
As the elevator ascended to its destination, Squall remembered being unable to resist Rinoa's offer to spend the day on the bridge to "see what he did". It was apparent, however, that she simply wanted to spend more time with him. He smiled to himself-something that until recently had been an impossibility. He was becoming less hesitant to show his love for her ever since he had almost lost her. Ever since he realized how important she was for him to go through what he had to save her. Ever since it dawned on him that he would have soon lost the will to fight or even live when put up against an opponent like Ultimecia.  
  
But heck, fighting Omega Weapon was no picnic either.  
  
There was a tiny click and beeping tone when the machine stopped at floor three and the gunblade master got off with a quick step as the doors slid closed and went back down to transport some student.  
  
He almost fell over the railing of the bridge when he saw what was there. The beautiful girl he had expected to see was on her back glowing black and green. Her eyes were still open, but they were blank and lifeless, her breathing shallow.  
  
"Rinoa!!"  
  
Irvine was crouched next to her, as if studying her condition intently with a worry on his face. Nida was paging someone on the intercom, and had even temporarily halted the Garden's trip to Fisherman's Horizon to purchase fuel and supplies.  
  
Squall was almost instantly by her side, ignoring his treasured gunblade lying next to the gray steel steering column that Nida so proudly piloted.  
  
Irvine gave a sympathetic look to his long-time friend.  
  
"I don't know what happened, man. One minute she was chatting on about how much fun she was going to have with you, the next minute she was shaking and on the ground. Nida's paging Dr. Kadowaki, just hold on"  
  
But few words of Irvine's comforting words were registered because Squall was struck by the sudden change of mood.  
  
"Rinoa. . . "  
  
Squall attempted to lay a hand on her cheek, but a black spark of electricity crackled and fizzed when he got close, the bolt making Squall's hands burn and temporarily lighting the blue sky.  
  
"Ahh!"  
  
"I tried that too. I can't touch her" explained Nida, putting down the intercom speaker and showing the slightly burned skin of his palm.  
  
My angel, why did this happen? Haven't you been through enough? Why can I never protect you?  
  
In a few minutes, Dr. Kadowaki entered the bridge.  
  
"Now, what seems to be the--oh my!"  
  
The Garden doctor leaned down to inspect Rinoa, noticing her condition.  
  
"I haven't seen anything like this since. . . "  
  
Squall instantly looked up, desperate for anything to help the one he loved.  
  
"Since what?"  
  
"Since Edea inherited Ultimecia's powers that day at the orphanage. A while later she lay back and just became like Rinoa. No one or nothing could touch her."  
  
"How did she get better?" asked Nida, curious to know.  
  
"She just got up in a few hours and stretched as if she had just woken up from a nap. The strangest thing I had ever seen."  
  
"Please Rinoa, wake up!"  
  
Squall pleaded desperately and ineffectively for her revival.  
  
"S-Squa. . . Squall?"  
  
She somehow let out a sow moan of his name, her pale lips moving ever so slightly.  
  
"Rinoa, speak to me"  
  
"Everything is fine Squall. Oren.. will help us.."  
  
"Who's Oren, Rinoa? Will he make you better?"  
  
"Need. . . sleep. Seek the blue. . . Oren will help us. . . "  
  
"Who's Oren! Please talk to me!"  
  
Rinoa shifted and began to close her eyes, the light around her going down slowly as she uttered a few more words.  
  
"Need sleep. . . Oren will help us. . . just find the blue"  
  
"Rinoa. . . "  
  
Rinoa didn't utter any more words.  
  
"Squall. Are you okay?"  
  
It was Irvine's voice, questioning Squall.  
  
". . . Leave me."  
  
"I will, but you should see something"  
  
"It can wait. Leave me alone."  
  
"Not just yet, buddy. Look up at the sky"  
  
"Did you not here me? Let me be alone!"  
  
"Squall! Will you just look up!"  
  
"You Galbadian Cowboy! You chocobo-riding hick! What part of 'go away' do you not understand?"  
  
Irvine finally lost his patience and grabbed a head of Squall's hair and yanked it up, forcing Squall to see the sky. His blue eyes widened as he looked into the sky and saw a gigantic oval of blue shining an aqua color. He remembered Rinoa saying to seek the blue. He would have to apologize to Irvine for the comment about him being a hick. One noticeable thing was that the strange hole in the sky was much larger than the Garden, and it was coming down closer.  
  
Alexandria was an empire that was like no other. It was powerful, efficient, brave, and prosperous. The people there were among the most respected on Gaia. Out of Lindblum and Burmecia they had faced the heaviest losses and still made a comeback.  
  
The chocobos there were bred for speed and power. The monsters at their disposal were powerful enough to make Lani quit the Lindblum monster- hunting contest.  
  
The soldiers were fluent in many types of hand-to-hand combat and could defeat any man in terms of swordsmanship, not to mention the aid of the feared General Beatrix herself. The country was even run by an above average queen by the name of Garnet.  
  
There was one reason for the prosperity of the country. Only one reason for its countless victories and amazing power.  
  
It was run completely by women.  
  
This is precisely why there was an immense uproar when Zidane was crowned king of Alexandria after marrying the queen two months after his arrival. So, when Zidane Tribal arrived at the castle in the grand quarters, he had plenty to complain about.  
  
The queen who was called Garnet but referred to by her friends as Dagger sat on the edge of the red silk bed on the soft carpet, the whole room filled with intricate and beautiful designs and the window pouring in soft sunlight. It was truly a room fit for a queen.  
  
"They hate me because I'm a man! Just because I'm a man!" yelled Zidane. He threw off his red imperial cape and took off the silver boots that he had been issued. And plopped himself on the bed next to his queen.  
  
"Bad day?" Dagger questioned jokingly with a small laugh.  
  
"Bad day? Bad day? Well lets review my little day of terror, if it can be even be called a day at all! First, I wake up to find glass on my bed and a rock on my stomach, along with several more that some nice townspeople threw right in to show their support for a man being in such a high position. Secondly I found that entire wardrobe is full of women's clothing, and all I have is my traditional 'unacceptable' outfit. I walk to the tailor's to find that I have to wait for six hours so that that royal disgrace can finish the grand garment and when I finally leave, I find that someone snuck onto the castle grounds and stole my chocobo! So, I walk to the transportation by boat to get to the castle, to see the guards are unconscious and the boat is sunk! Then I swim all that long way, and wait three more hours to get my stuff dried! As if that wasn't enough, the royal council complained about it when I went to the crowning, and said I had to do an 'apology ceremony' the next day! Is there any rest for the king? No! Do I get advice? No! I have to help everyone else, but those stupid council members don't even care to try to help me? Who provides for the provider, huh? Who warms the sun?!"  
  
"Calm down, King! It's just the first day!"  
  
"I honestly don't see how you do it, Dagger," responded Zidane as he sunk down into the soft bed.  
  
"Its easier for me because I'm. . . "  
  
"A girl, right?"  
  
"They just don't like men in high places. Guys have gotten Alexandria into a lot of trouble in the past"  
  
"Don't bother elaborating. I just need a nice sleep." Zidane muttered as he wrapped his light-brown tail around his body, allowing it to poke out from the covers, and sinking into the soft bed.  
  
Just as Zidane began to relax, an Alexandrian soldier came flying through the window, leaving glass everywhere.  
  
"Great Gaia!"  
  
Zidane bolted up with Dagger as they hustled to the fallen soldier, bleeding profusely.  
  
"Soldier? Soldier speak!"  
  
"King. . . King there was blue. . . a blue portal. . . and a man. . . "  
  
"Elaborate!" Zidane began feeling for the female soldiers vital signs as Dagger ran down the hall as well as a queen could looking for help.  
  
"He called himself. . . man and blue portal. . . he was. . . his name was"  
  
"Take your time. Just tell me the name"  
  
"Beta. . . "  
  
With that the soldiers head relaxed and she lapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
Zidane ran to the shattered window over the shards of broken glass. He saw a large blue portal, and with it, a laughing figure.  
  
"Friends and helpers of Kuja! Stupid pawns of Necron! We will take back what you and Kuja took from us! Prepare to die!"  
  
The insane laughter of the being in front of the blue hole in the air itself filled Zidane with many feelings. But one thing he had said really perplexed him. A friend of Kuja?  
  



	2. Chapter 2: Beta

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Two: Beta  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Beta the great. Number two in this complex maze. His arrogance will kill him.  
  
"Who the. . . ?" Cloud stared in awe at the warrior before him. Who could attack him without knowing, and furthermore stop the engine of a boat with his fist? This wasn't like anyone he had fought before, save Sephiroth.  
  
"I told you, I am Alpha. I come from a place dedicated to good, the eradication of fiends like you, and eventually that scoundrel Oren himself. You are but one of the flies. And you even teamed up with Sephiroth!"  
  
"What are you talking about?", exclaimed Tifa, moving from her stationary position. She stood up and strapped on the Premium Hearts. This guy didn't seem like he was in the mood for more talking.  
  
"Your Sephiroth's little girl, right?"  
  
"You don't seem to get it!" Cloud clutched the hilt of his sword until his knuckles began to crack.  
  
"Sephiroth is dead, and we killed him. Not only that, but we hate him! Why would we ally with him, after all he has taken, and what he tried to take?"  
  
"FILTHY LIARS! YOU LIE EVEN IN THE FACE OF DEATH" Alpha simply roared in anger. With one swoop, he leaned back and did a punch at Mach 2 straight for Cloud, a sneer on his face.  
  
Cloud felt the impact crush his chest as he felt the power of the blow. He thought one thing in his mind:  
  
No one can be that strong!  
  
Tifa, having fought with Cloud much before, didn't contemplate his condition. Her love had withstood much more than that. Instead, she did a punch of her own, rushing her fists in three solid blows to make contact with Alpha's exposed side. Her expected pleasure turned to agony when she felt her bones shatter on contact, with ribs harder than titanium alloy.  
  
"Ahhh!", she screamed, half in surprise, half in pain.  
  
"You expect to even dent a man that can punch two times faster than the speed of sound?"  
  
Seemingly with his mind the bearer of the arrogant voice knocked Tifa into oblivion, a.k.a. the broken boards next to Cloud.  
  
"Die!"  
  
With a sharp descent of his blade, Alpha sent a knife into Cloud's chest, as Tifa watched in a state of absolute shock.  
  
A normal woman would have become overwhelmed. But Tifa was battle hardened. Because of that, she knew that Mr. Mach punch had made a grave mistake.  
  
***  
  
"Friend of Kuja?", the queen repeated, half in awe, half in depression at being struck with that name again.  
  
"Dagger?" Zidane went down on one knee to see her sitting as if weakened on the carpet.  
  
"How can anyone say that? After all the pain, the turmoil? What have we done that would give us such a title, to say we are friends to the man who. . . " She stopped speaking, not able to think about such a nasty picture. She felt the nightmares returning.  
  
"Get me a medic!" yelled the king. The soldiers guarding the door were hesitant to obey, but when the sight of their fellow soldier greeted them, they immediately complied. Yet another great perception of Alexandrians, the soldiers were light and easy to carry. The captain put her comrade on her soldier and tread of to the medic in the central castle.  
  
"Dagger, can you fight?"  
  
The young female slowly shook her head.  
  
"What if he's out there? I'll freeze. . . "  
  
"That guy clearly stated he was against Kuja, even if he thinks he's with us."  
  
"Please, just give me time. Don't make me. . . "  
  
"It's okay, I'll go. And I'll be back, so don't worry. I have to fight with the soldiers, so stay safe, okay?"  
  
"I can do that."  
  
Zidane stood up and opened the golden safe right by the window. Out he pulled the Ultima Weapon, branded by experts as the strongest weapon of its kind.  
  
"I will be back!"  
  
With that, Zidane jumped out of the window, somersaulted, and landed on the grass with a dozen soldiers, the Pluto Knights, and surprisingly, the great General Beatrix. Thirty yards away was the seventy-foot portal, and in front of it, a dark-skinned man with eyes of pure white, matching flowing clothes and boots, and cold ice-blue hair. The one the soldier called "Beta".  
  
"Beatrix?!", asked Zidane, surprised that the general wasn't patrolling the outside of the city in her usual rounds.  
  
"Some force moved me to come here. He said he was with the movement of the boat."  
  
"The movement of the boat. . . ?"  
  
"I don't know either, but if he directed me to this, then he must be on my side"  
  
"What are you morons jabbering about?" asked Beta, arms crossed over chest. "If you're talking about some force, then It must be Oren, but enough about that. You and you're evil friends have plagued this world long enough. Prepare for your end!"  
  
With that, the stranger lifted a hand and sent the dozen soldiers and four Pluto Knights into the wall, making sickening thuds and large cracks.  
  
The stronger ones of the group, which were the other five Knights, Steiner, Beatrix, and Zidane withstood the blow and stood in battle positions.  
  
"State your business at the castle!" exclaimed Steiner in his booming and usually proud voice.  
  
"We are NOT in alliance with Kuja, why do you accuse us?" added Zidane a little more reasonably.  
  
"Allow me to explain, I am from the squadron of Pyros himself to exterminate you all for all you took, and your friends as well, there are others that. . . "  
  
"Is the intruder thinking of ceasing a report?" asked Zidane, half sarcastically.  
  
"The INTRUDER is pondering why he's explaining himself to the enemy!" Beta roared.  
  
"The INTRUDER is going to blow you and your evil squadron out of this world, Spira!"  
  
"Spira?" Beatrix spoke up. "We know not of a Spira. This is Gaia"  
  
"Spira, Gaia, what's the difference? The destruction of any of the two is fine with me. Now die!"  
  
With that Beta reeled back a fist and pummeled the remaining defenders into the walls with yet another more powerful sonic wave.  
  
***  
  
"Yuna!" Tidus broke the barrier of water once again, and saw that the one he had longed to hold had passed out at the sight of him.  
  
"Yuna." Tidus climbed onto the dock and pulled Yuna into his arms. She was just the way he had left her. And she had even been whistling for him to come back.  
  
What a girl! Thought Tidus.  
  
He padded clumsily along the dock, getting used to walking again. Night was falling in the Luca stadium, and everyone was out.  
  
"Mister Tidus?"  
  
"Huh?" Tidus turned around to see a little girl holding a familiar sword.  
  
"I found this, is it yours?"  
  
"Why yes! Thanks a lot kid! How'd ya know?"  
  
"My mommy said you were a really good man, and that you found a sword like this and used it to beat Sin!"  
  
"I appreciate it!" Tidus said, temporarily lowering Yuna to ruffle the girl's hair.  
  
The stadium was pretty much deserted, so by the time Tidus got the gate with only two Luca soldiers, he wondered where he was going to go.  
  
Tidus walked up to one of the soldiers and tapped the leather shoulder- guard he wore.  
  
"Excuse me, but could you get an airship here?"  
  
Tidus knew other airships were in production, but there was only one machina airship currently in use. That of his friends.  
  
"Sir Tidus! Lady Yuna!" The guard immediately bowed.  
  
"P-please, no need to bow. Could I just get the airship over here, please?"  
  
"Yessir! They just happen to be docked at the Rin Travel Agency of the Mi'hen Highroad! Just take my chocobo"  
  
"Thank you! You're a nice guy"  
  
"No sir, think nothing of it. Anything for the savior of Spira"  
  
With that, Tidus rode off on the chocobo with Yuna propped up on the back, contemplating how nice everyone was being, and the pleasure of riding in the warm night air through grasslands long deserted by the fiends that once plagued it, having the love of his life with him.  
  
Tidus lifted his head into the air, and with a howl yelled:  
  
"THANK YOU, BAHAMUT-KID! YOU HELPED MY MORE THAN ANYONE!"  
  
Unfortunately this startled the chocobo, and in its carelessness it ran beak-first into a tree.  
  
***  
  
"Oh no!", yelled Nida.  
  
Rinoa suddenly sat bolt upright, looking around as if nothing happened.  
  
"Is Squall here yet?"  
  
"Rinoa!" Squall launched himself around Rinoa, sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"I love you, I love you! I admitted it! Just don't punish me anymore!"  
  
The tough commander of garden was now simply going to pieces. Did this make RINOA the most powerful of all?  
  
"Rinoa, I can't believe you're awake! What happened?", inquired Irvine, immediately wide-eyed and disregarding Squall's rude comment about him.  
  
"Was I asleep?" Rinoa asked, still oblivious to her previous condition.  
  
"This must be a medical miracle. Not even Edea recovered this fast!", stated Dr. Kadowaki.  
  
"What are you all talking about?!" Rinoa half asked, half exclaimed, while patting the back of poor Squall.  
  
"Garden, this is Nida, pilot of Balamb Garden. We are being approached by an unidentified formation. We may be experiencing turbulence, so please find stable ground.  
  
"Here it comes!" yelled Irvine.  
  
The descending wave of blue made contact, the speed of its approach speeding up exponentially.  
  
FWOOOMM!!  
  
There was surprisingly no shaking, whatsoever, but a thud as the opening in the air disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, and set the Balamb Garden flat on its bottom, in a green field atop a large cliff. To the left was a city of some sort that seemed medieval. A large castle rose in the middle of the city, and it seemed to rock slightly and temporarily glow blue. A mild concussion followed.  
  
"Where are we?" asked Irvine after an awkward silence.  
  
"Squall, get up!" Nida commanded, bringing Squall out of his great unison.  
  
"What is it?" Rinoa stood up as well, smoothening her black and blue outfit.  
  
"Squall, could go down there and see how people are reacting? Calm everyone down or we might end up in chaos"  
  
"Right. Rinoa, stay close" she gladly complied as she followed Squall down the elevator and Nida, Dr. Kadowaki and Irvine began to ponder the situation.  
  
"Students, please calm down!" Quistis tried to calm the junior and upper classmen who were in a loud commotion with each other discussing the past events. The occupants of the classroom were quiet, but Quistis knew it wouldn't last. What was that flash of blue and that sudden appearance in a new location?  
  
Squall quickly burst into the room.  
  
"Is everything alright?" he asked. It was plain that Quistis had everything under control.  
  
"Students, it is vital that you remain calm" Squall pointed towards one student who seemed responsible "Echo, you watch the class. Quistis will be out shortly"  
  
Quistis inquisitively turned her majestic azure eyes to meet Squall.  
  
What is happening? She mouthed.  
  
I don't know myself. Squall mouthed in response. The student named Echo stood up and took his place at the front of the class, as Quistis and Squall walked out, Rinoa waiting at the door.  
  
"Quistis, could you find Selphie and meet back at the bridge? Rinoa and I will get Zell and try and figure out some sort of exploration plan."  
  
"Yes sir!" Quistis gave a salute and immediately strode down to the elevator, voice-commanding it to move to the first floor.  
  
Why does she still wear that uniform? Squall thought to himself.  
  
***  
  
Alpha's blade embedded itself in Cloud's chest, as his eyes widened at this newfound pain.  
  
"You're dead now!" Alpha yelled in victory.  
  
"His."  
  
"What!?" Alpha looked towards Tifa.  
  
"His heart is on the left, you moron!" yelled Tifa with renewed vigor.  
  
Before the warrior had a chance to respond, a large orange figure pounced, pinning him to the ground and slightly tearing his ear.  
  
Alpha immediately pushed the beast that was Nanaki, or Red XIII off of his chest and felt his ear.  
  
"My perfect ear! HOW COULD YOU HURT SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL!?"  
  
Amazingly, Alpha began to shed tears.  
  
"You monsters! You killed my looks! You will pay!" With that, the warrior that was thought to be a worthy opponent disappeared in a flash leaving warm air in his wake, as the party of three stared wide-eyed.  
  
"Did he just leave because he thought his looks were in jepordy!?", asked Cloud.  
  
"Cloud! I thought I saw that that person had impaled you. Why is it that you speak as though unhurt?" asked Red, not even greeting his friend.  
  
"Oh. Hello to you too Red."  
  
"..My apologies. Cloud, Tifa, how have you been? I was on my raft awaiting your arrival. I noticed you were getting pummeled, so I waited till the greatest element of all presented itself."  
  
"Thanks a lot Red" said Tifa. "You saved us from that guy"  
  
"Yeah" continued Cloud. "It seemed as if my wound disappeared with him. I don't understand though."  
  
"Enough talk about that. We need to go to the observatory. There is something important you all should see. Climb on"  
  
Red, Tifa and Cloud climbed onto the raft and Red's tail began to involuntarily stroke the water bringing them closer to shore.  
  
"Funny, this tail of mine is still acting up. I have tried to control it but it seems to have a mind of its own"  
  
Cloud still found it funny that something that looked as fierce as Red XIII was actually quite gentle and intelligent, and was really only a teenager in terms of his own species.  
  
"What did you mean by the 'greatest element of all'?" asked Tifa.  
  
"It is far better than water, thunder, fire, or any other. The element of surprise"  
  
Cloud and Tifa openly laughed at Red's comment, which had seemed to be a pretty good joke.  
  
"Did I make a joke?"  
  
Cloud decided he was too tired to give an explanation.  
  
As the raft treaded waves and moved closer to shore, Cloud asked:  
  
"So what have you been doing with yourself?"  
  
"I decided to take Buganhagen's advice for once. He told me in a dream not to bother looking for him, that he would be gone for a while. He kept telling me instead just to look for the blue. I didn't know what he meant by it. He kept talking about 'the director of a general to a battlefield by the castle'. That was the strangest."  
  
The boat landed at the beach and the party made their way towards Cosmo Canyon in the distant hills.  
  
"And he said this in a dream?" asked Tifa.  
  
"Yes." Red responded simply, putting his nose up to the sky and staring at the stars that were now forming. "Let us hurry so we can be at the observatory when the stars are at their brightest.  
  
The party of three made their way through the green and brown grass and up the hills that eventually gave way to the high reddish canyon that was Cosmo Canyon. The usual guard that would give the report on the maximum capacity had left his post for some reason. Cloud and Tifa followed Red up the many ladders and through the few buildings in the way of the observatory. Right outside the passageway, Red turned and said:  
  
"What you see and hear may shock you, but do not worry, none of it seems as if it can make any ties into this world."  
  
The couple exchanged worried glances as they contemplated what kind of thing could make Red give such a warning.  
  
When the door was opened, all but Red let down their mouths in awe at what they saw before them. A blue portal, oval in shape, that filled the whole portion of the room under which Buganhagen had given them the demonstration of Mako's effects.  
  
Stupid Chocobo! I can't believe you crashed into a tree!  
  
Wark! Wark!  
  
Now I have to carry Yuna the rest of the way while you "rest"!  
  
"What was that?" asked Tifa worriedly.  
  
Red thought for a minute, and then turned to face her.  
  
"I'm not quite sure. Bits and pieces of conversation and other pieces of the outside world have been coming in here through this opening. It seems to be centered on a boy. The first communications I received from him often chronicled him trying to transport his girlfriend, but the details are unclear."  
  
Cloud adjusted his stance so that he was leaning on the wall.  
  
"Are you planning on going through? Why not just go to the other side?"  
  
"I have no idea what could be waiting for me, and besides, I don't even know if I have a way of getting back once I go in."  
  
"Good point. . . "  
  
"Have you tried sticking anything inside? Maybe just a peek?" asked Tifa.  
  
"I tried putting a twig in halfway, but the moment it hit the portal, it simply went in completely. Simply making contact with this opening takes you in"  
  
"There must be a reason its here" Cloud pointed out "maybe we should gather up the others and try and go inside"  
  
"That would be a good idea, but I think its best that after that's done we only go one at a time. If the other one doesn't return, then going in would be a good idea"  
  
"Alright then. Should we get Cid first? He seems to have the best method of transportation"  
  
Cloud remembered how Cid had flown the Highwind back to Rocket town and boasted to everyone about how he had such a great ship at his disposal.  
  
"Actually. . . "  
  
The door opened and Cid Highwind himself stepped through the door.  
  
"Hey Red, I finished repairing those pipes you've been yappin' about. It turned out that a chocobo had been gnawing on the bottom!"  
  
***  
  
In a small grove of trees near Alexandria, a man lay out in the sun, waiting for a chance to try and go somewhere safe without being detected. Of course, he could have simply flown but his dragon was nowhere to be found and he would certainly face capture if he was found out looking for it.  
  
Kuja stood up and stretched out his legs, not surprised as the bones cracked from being in the same position for so long. He had heard a thud but had been too lazy and too cautious to investigate it, but when he saw a futuristic looking building that he knew held technology that not even the greatest scientist of Gaia had discovered, he decided to take a look.  
  
It had been a couple of months since Zidane had rescued him from that Iifa tree.  
  
Kuja, you'll be all right!  
  
. . .  
  
Kuja!?  
  
. . .  
  
You can't be dead!  
  
. . . I wish I was. Just leave me here.  
  
NO!  
  
Haven't we been over this? I don't deserve to live.  
  
But you deserve a second chance!  
  
. . .  
  
Zidane had went out of his way to take Kuja and ride the way out of that massive exaggeration of growth, but he somehow had made it through with both lives intact, and had given him strict instructions.  
  
A lot of people hate you, and will hunt you down if they think you're still alive. You're strong enough to survive on your own, so do it. Stay away from populated places. If you ever need me, then cast a Flare spell at the top of the castle's main spires. I'll know its you.  
  
\. . . Castle spires?  
  
I'm going back to Alexandria. Try to stay out of trouble, because you can be forgiven. Everyone deserves another chance at life, no matter what they have done.  
  
. . .  
  
Kuja still didn't believe he deserved another chance, but would jump at the opportunity to go to a place where no one knew him and just start over. Maybe the strange building could be salvation. If not, he would rather be captured than live this boring life a minute longer.  
  
The Terran made his way to the building in the ground, his silverish tail slinging behind him, no longer trying to hide it. He still wore his outfit, but kept a cloak over his body for fear of being immediately recognized. Besides, even if these people were new to Gaia, he didn't want to give them the wrong impression. And he would have to kill them if they called him a female. Even more if they called him a cross-dresser.  
  
For the first time, Kuja came out in open light in an open field, away from the protection of the forest, and towards his goal.  
  
The structure he saw was blue, white, and yellow. It seemed to be built upwards with many oddly shaped rings of blue and white, with a large yellow pointed structure coming in from the top. He also notice yellow rings that rotated under the whole structure, and intricate designs with a few windows. If there were windows, then it must have been for the residence of people.  
  
Kuja contemplated that maybe this could be an escaped ship from Terra, but then decided that Terran technology was far more advanced, and they certainly wouldn't have landed with a "thud".  
  
As he approached the massive structure, it was noted that it was even larger than he had originally perceived. He was actually a little excited to see what would meet him at the end of his journey.  
  
Finally, Kuja walked up to what seemed to be an odd rectangular opening in the side of the structure. Only the corner of it was to the ground, and it was slightly tilted, so the Terran found himself scrambling on the lateral intersection between what was originally the wall and what was originally the floor.  
  
At first, he thought that the place would be empty, but two young-looking boys guarding each side of what must have been the main entrance.  
  
"Identify yourself!" one requested. He and his accompany were dressed in blue uniforms with a black and white logo on the shoulder that slightly resembled a yin-yang.  
  
"I am. . . Kuja" he responded, a little afraid that he was busted at the mention of his name. He was relieved when they blinked as though they had never heard of him.  
  
"Should we let him in?" boy number one asked to boy number two.  
  
"I'll go clear it with command" responded boy number two. "You wait here"  
  
"He'll be back shortly, just sit tight in the meantime" responded number one as number two struggled through to the main entrance that wasn't as tilted as the secondary.  
  
Kuja was actually surprised that they were being so generous to him. He had actually expected hostility, because he had been so used to it. It was also hard to believe that they would let just anyone in with a little clearance.  
  
"Do you have a name?" Kuja asked the boy. He seemed to be caught off guard.  
  
"Yes. My name is Dreda. My ID# is 546983."  
  
Kuja wondered for a second why he would bother giving an identification number.  
  
"Are you a student?"  
  
Dreda adjusted his position in the funny angle of the entrance hall.  
  
"Yeah. This place trains us to fight, usually for money. Are you from around here?"  
  
"I have been here for a while, but I am originally from Terra. This planet is called Gaia"  
  
"Gaia huh? I guess I have some new info to report. I'd report it, but someone has to stay here. I'll wait till Mike gets back.  
  
Kuja wondered why he was giving information so freely like it didn't matter. He guessed that he had no reason to want to withhold any because he really didn't have anything to lose anymore.  
  
"You can stay here, if you want. You don't seem to have anywhere else to go"  
  
"You can tell?"  
  
"That cloak looks pretty tattered"  
  
And he was right. There was certainly quite a bit of "old" on his cloak.  
  
"Thank you very much. I'm trying to get a new start"  
  
"Well, as long as you're willing to tell us what you know about this place before we head out, okay?"  
  
"Sure"  
  
After a few more minutes, Mike returned and told Dreda that he had clearance to enter.  
  
"Mike, can you take over? I wanna report something to the commander. I also may want to show this guy around"  
  
"What? I guess. But don't be gone to long. . . "  
  
"He doesn't like being left alone to long" Dreda whispered to Kuja as they walked into the hall, where the scenery changed abruptly.  
  
"I HEARD THAT!"  
  
Perhaps things were looking up after all. . .  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: This chapter is slightly shorter, but give my a break! It aint easy typing all this. Also, I got a positive review from a fellow author, and I wanted to thank him and all the other people that have read and reviewed, even if the reviews were negative! Also, I may write a Kingdom Hearts fic when I'm further into this one, so be on the lookout when I finish chapter 5 or so! 


	3. Chapter 3: Gamma

Fantasy Thunder Chapter 3: Gamma  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Gamma, she's actually pretty cute.  
  
Squall hurriedly marched down to the cafeteria, where he knew he would find Zell. There were two reasons for him preferring to have his friends with him on the trek outside to the strange area that they had landed. One was that they had helped him overcome emotional obstacles, and they were all also S-ranking SeeDs.  
  
Rinoa could barely keep up step as he almost lost his etiquette and ran. As he was going to make the final stretch, SeeD Dreda stopped him.  
  
"Sir! I have a report to make!"  
  
Squall and Rinoa came to an abrupt halt.  
  
"Granted"  
  
"I got word that this planet was called 'Gaia' from the suspicious character we gave clearance earlier. He also told us that his name was Kuja. He has no where else to go sir, can he stay here?"  
  
"Granted. Show me this character"  
  
"Right away!"  
  
Dreda ran back to the fountain area and from behind he brought the character known as Kuja that he had mentioned earlier.  
  
Squall looked him over, up and down. He had a weird vibe about him, like the feeling he got when he was around Ultimecia, or more specifically, Seifer.  
  
".Access granted. Dismissed"  
  
"Thank you, sir!" Dreda saluted and led the quiet figure down to the dormitory.  
  
"What was that all about?" Rinoa asked him, snapping him from his trance.  
  
"Well, he was bringing in a potential information source, and we may need all the help we can get."  
  
"I understand."  
  
The garden's structure had easily held its breathtaking frame with relative ease, which was one thing less to worry about for Squall Leonhart.  
  
When Squall found out that Zell was nowhere near the cafeteria, he went to the next most likely place.  
  
Squall and Rinoa entered Zell's dormitory (Rinoa given immediate clearance) only to find Zell playing video games, seemingly oblivious to the past events.  
  
"Zell!" cried Rinoa.  
  
"Don't tell me you're still playing that Funbox eight or whatever they're called!" Squall added.  
  
"They're called Playstation2's and what's wrong with that?"  
  
"Zell, there is a crisis, and your assistance is needed."  
  
"But I got these cool games from Balamb though! They were Metal Gear Solid 2 and this cool game called Final Fantasy X-"  
  
"I DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS! GET YOURSELF TO THE BRIDGE OR YOU'LL BE DEMOTED!"  
  
"Fine. . . fine. . . "  
  
Zell, Rinoa, and Squall now made their way to the quad, and started a conversation on the way.  
  
"Squall, were you serious about demoting me?"  
  
"Yes. And the next time you hesitate to obey orders because of that Funbox, you WILL be demoted"  
  
".What do you have against PS2's?"  
  
"Nothing. It's just that you're one of the only students in Garden that actually plays them. Especially that Final Fantasy series"  
  
"I don't understand.if you played them Squall, you'd love them!"  
  
"Never, those probably suck, especially since they skipped VIII"  
  
"I still don't know why they skipped VIII, but the others are really cool! FFVII is centered around this guy named Clay Stripe. . . "  
  
"Zell, you're doing it again"  
  
"Sorry"  
  
The group made their way through the stairs of the quad and located Selphie. She was on sitting on the ground and looked like she was about to cry.  
  
"What's eating her?" asked Zell.  
  
"She probably--oh no" Rinoa cut herself off.  
  
"What is it?" asked Squall as they approached the stage.  
  
"With that thud, the stuff is probably wrecked again! And after her hard work!"  
  
"That really sucks." added Zell.  
  
"Selphie!" Rinoa rushed over to her brown-haired friend.  
  
"Hey Rinoa. . . "  
  
"Selphie, it'll be all right. We'll get that stage repaired in no--" Rinoa cut herself off again when she noticed that everything was intact.  
  
"Uh. . . Selphie, what's wrong?" Zell asked.  
  
"No one wants to volunteer for the garden festival!"  
  
"AHH!" Zell, Squall, and Rinoa made simultaneous yelps as they heard the mention of the festival.  
  
"Will you guys. . . ?"  
  
"I have to do my hair!" said Rinoa.  
  
"And I have to play my Playstation2!" yelled Zell.  
  
"And I have to meet up with Quistis and Irvine. Get to the bridge Selphie!"  
  
All three of them ran off unusually fast.  
  
"Hmmm. . . " Selphie still couldn't figure out why they always ran off every time she mentioned that. . .  
  
Seifer Almasy was surprised that he had run into as much luck as he had. Now, he didn't have to hide inside the MD level where he was sure to get caught. Instead, he could now take advantage of the confusion and move towards the city with the castle. He had heard information from Mike about the planet, and he looked forward to getting a new start.  
  
Fujin. . . Raijin. . .  
  
Seifer remembered the pain in his heart after he had left them. He said he would go to garden and become a SeeD. . .  
  
Guys, I'll clear it up with Commander Puberty, don't worry.  
  
But we're a posse, ya know! If you leave then we're nothin'!  
  
Fujin let out an exhausted cough and studied to speak.  
  
Seifer, what if they want to kill you. What if you are never forgiven? Please stay with us.She started coughing.  
  
Don't waste your words on me, I'm not worth it. I promise that I'll be back alive. I promised my father I would become a SeeD, and that's what I intend to do!  
  
Seifer had overheard how he would be killed if found, and had hid in the MD level where NORG had had reasonable life support, really quite luxurious. Fortunately, no one ever came there and he had gotten in at night. He thought things had cooled down, but when he finally came out he found that he was on Gaia, information from Mike. If he could get a new life in that castle, no matter what the people where like, that would be all he would ever want.  
  
As he reached the city limits, he found that the place was like some bad renaissance fair. It looked like something right out of the middle ages. What really freaked him out, though, were the animals running around. There were rat-people, hippo-people, and the freakiest of all, fish-people. There was even a guy with four arms! Rarely did he see a normal looking person. The people looked at him oddly.  
  
"What funny clothes. . . " one person whispered.  
  
"What kind of weapon is that?"  
  
Seifer noticed that he had Hyperion clearly visible and hanging by his side. Suddenly, he almost fell when a tiny thing with a pointy hat ran right by him.  
  
"Hey!" He pointed his gunblade at the offender.  
  
"Watch it!"  
  
"I'm sorry. . . "  
  
Seifer was horrified to see the thing's face was completely black, with glowing yellow eyes.  
  
"Oh my GOD! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!?"  
  
The crowd paused to look at him, startled by his outburst.  
  
"I'm Vivi."  
  
". . . is that Latin or something?"  
  
"Latin"  
  
"Never mind. Can you take me to the castle? I was thinking of getting a job there."  
  
"Sure! I was going there to visit the king and queen."  
  
"You mean you can just waltz on in there!?"  
  
"Not really, I'm just a special friend."  
  
Vivi adjusted his hat slightly and changed his stance.  
  
"So are we going?"  
  
"Yeah. Of course"  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"I'm Seifer."  
  
"What's that?" Vivi pointed to Hyperion.  
  
"It's a gunblade. And if you ask me another question I won't know whether to use it on you or myself."  
  
Vivi picked up the hint and began to lead Seifer towards the castle. Surprisingly, there were no guards present and the couple simply walked in, through the gate, and up to the main entrance.  
  
Seifer was almost overwhelmed by the beauty of the castle up close, and the devastating amount of perfectly arranged vegetation, as well as the beautiful moat that ran around it. There were also some nicely bred Chocobos.  
  
"You have Chocobos here?"  
  
"Who doesn't have a Chocobo? Are you foreign or something?"  
  
". . . you could say that."  
  
At the gates Vivi was surprised to find Zidane, Steiner, and half the defense team on the ground and struggling to get up.  
  
What scared Seifer was the large blue portal that was getting bigger.  
  
"Holy hell. . . "  
  
"Zidane!!"  
  
Vivi ran towards the struggling figure of his friend as fast as his little legs would carry him, but was surprised when he saw a blue-haired figure that he hadn't seen before start to head for him at Mach 2.  
  
***  
  
Tidus was relieved when he finally saw the airship docked at the cliff near the Rin Travel Agency. Yuna started to move around in his arms.  
  
She's probably getting over the shock. . .  
  
Tidus noticed that the stairs were still lowered, and scrambled through the weeds to get on to the colorful ship before it took off.  
  
I can't wait to see the others! Wait till they get a loada me!  
  
Tidus stopped when he noticed that the door to the bridge was closed. He lay Yuna on the wall and started pounding on the door.  
  
"We said that we didn't want any of your Chocobo nuggets! Now go away before we call the police!"  
  
That was definitely Lulu's voice, but he couldn't understand how anyone would come back for more after getting a reprimand that cold.  
  
Tidus continued to pound. He contemplated calling them, but decided he would surprise them. A wide smile was on his face.  
  
The door finally opened and Lulu looked as if she was ready to cast Flare, but then stopped when she saw his smiling face.  
  
"Oh my. . . " She put a hand over her mouth and looked like she was about to faint. Tidus also saw a look he had never seen in those eyes. The eyes actually showed happiness in them, which almost freaked out Tidus to no end.  
  
Kimahri walked up to assist with Lance drawn, but dropped it, and for the first time in his life, let his jaw drop open with surprise.  
  
"Ronso gods. . . it really you. . . "  
  
Rikku spun around in her chair at the bridge, but was more taken at the site.  
  
". . . TIDUS!" Tidus could have sworn that Rikku flew.  
  
"Ohhhh!"  
  
She landed on him and immediately pinned him down.  
  
"Rikku! I'm glad to see you too! Rikku?"  
  
He found that she was crying.  
  
"I didn't mean to make you cry!"  
  
"I-I'm just so happy!"  
  
"Kimahri so happy. . . "  
  
Rikku got off of Tidus and dried out her eyes.  
  
"Please don't cry. It's sad to see you like this"  
  
"I'm sorry. I just didn't think I'd ever see you again!"  
  
Lulu did something that he didn't think he would ever see. She hugged him. Tightly. And he was even more surprised when he saw that Kimahri was doing the same.  
  
"Do you guys like me that much?"  
  
". . . Kimahri think that stupidest question yet"  
  
Tidus laughed, and his friends released the embrace, still smiling.  
  
Wakka came around the corner, stared, and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"Brudda Tidus!" Wakka sent Tidus right back to the ground.  
  
"Tidus, mon! I knew that Yuna's whistlin' would help! Oh mon, it's great to see ya!"  
  
"Thanks Wakka. Now can I get up?"  
  
Wakka let Tidus get back up. Tidus' friends weren't even interested in HOW he got back, they were just satisfied to see that he was alive and well, and spend a while talking, getting reacquainted with a friend that they thought they had lost forever. It actually took a while before Rikku noticed Yuna lying on the wall.  
  
"Tidus, what happened to Yunie?" Asked Rikku, just noticing.  
  
"She kinda passed out when I came up from the water, but I think she's almost better now."  
  
Tidus was right for Yuna slowly woke up and stood. The first thing she saw was a blue eye. Two eyes that she thought would never look at her again. The eyes of a lover she thought she had lost. The eyes that gave her the courage to always go on. The eyes that belonged to Tidus.  
  
"You came back to me!" Yuna jumped on Tidus, wrapping her arms around his neck, and tackled him to the ground like he had been twice before. Tidus sighed as he felt himself hit the ground yet again.  
  
"Yuna, maybe you should--"  
  
Lulu paused when she saw Yuna in a deep kiss, and it didn't look like she or Tidus would let up on it anytime soon.  
  
"Never mind"  
  
The four backed off and let the two do their thing. After about thirty seconds, they decided to go back to the bridge and prepare for departure.  
  
Many things went through Yuna's mind as she kissed Tidus. There were flashbacks of the spring at Macalania. There was a flash of her disgust when kissing Seymour. There was here sorrow for losing him. Then she was overcome by a giddy happiness of having him back, and kissed him even harder, adding passion to it.  
  
Tidus felt that if there was one purpose in his life, he had fulfilled it. If there was one reason for his existence, then this was it. And if he ever had a goal, to kiss Yuna without fear of separation or being interrupted, then by Yevon-er-God, this was it.  
  
Wakka smiled from his spot on the left-back area of the bridge. He looked ahead at the blue sky before him. Rikku was telling Cid all about how wonderful it was that they Tidus was back, and Cid seemed tempted to leave his work so that he could greet the old poot. Wakka noticed that the sky was unusually blue, almost as if. . .  
  
"Guys, do ya see what I see?"  
  
Lulu acknowledged Wakka's comment and stared ahead with Rikku and Kimahri, as well as Cid and Brother, in the co-pilot's area.  
  
"What is that?" asked Lulu.  
  
Before the group was a large portal of pure blue, bluer than the skies themselves. And it seemed to be on the verge of consuming the airship.  
  
"What in tarnation?" Cid asked in his deep country accent.  
  
"Uh. . . Tidus!"  
  
Wakka rushed back to the hall where Yuna was still on top of Tidus, seeming to only begin the kiss that had already lasted for three minutes.  
  
"Sorry ta interrupt, but, I think you should see dis!"  
  
Yuna broke the kiss and got up, and Tidus did the same. They followed Wakka's finger and found what he was, and they saw the blue opening in the sky, that seemed to be pulling the ship.  
  
"Can't you turn us away!?" Tidus asked Cid, surprised at the turn of events.  
  
"It's pullin' us in!"  
  
***  
  
"God damn. . . " Zidane struggled to his feet and wiped the blood off of his mouth. He couldn't hold the Ultima weapon, because his hands were numb. As a matter of fact, he felt he would be lucky if he still had a hand.  
  
Beatrix was twitching slightly. But Steiner, the Pluto Knights, and the remaining soldiers wouldn't move. Zidane wondered if they were still alive.  
  
"Ready to give up scum? I'll spare you if you admit your alliance to Kuja, and give me information on Oren Murasaki"  
  
"We. . . don't. . . know what you're talking about!"  
  
"LIARS!"  
  
"Go to hell!"  
  
Zidane stood to his feet and launched Grand Lethal with the last of his power. Beta sidestepped.  
  
"You have insulted me for the last--"  
  
A bullet hit him in the head, followed up by a Flare spell, which wrapped him in red light and exploded in a negative rain of dark electricity and fire.  
  
"What!?"  
  
A blonde boy in a long gray trench coat and the black mage that Zidane knew for a long time ran to the battlefield.  
  
"It's Vivi! And. . . some other guy!"  
  
"Fire Cross!" the guy in the gray trench coat landed a slam with his sword, mixed in with a swarm of fire as Vivi followed up with a Firaga spell.  
  
Beatrix let out a weak cheer from her position on the ground as blood trickled down the man's face; a sight that seemed impossible at the start of the fight.  
  
As Beta straightened himself, both the blonde guy and Vivi surrounded him on either side.  
  
"Take this," the guy said.  
  
He threw Zidane some Elixir, which didn't look like the kind he was used to, but he drank it anyway, and he felt as good as new.  
  
"Awesome!" Zidane grabbed the Ultima Weapon and ran over to assist his newfound ally and Vivi.  
  
"I'm Zidane, king of Alexandria. And you"  
  
"Seifer. Seifer Almasy the--you're the king?"  
  
"Never mind that"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Beta stood up. "Now you've really made me mad! GAMMA! GAMMA GET YOUR CUTE SELF OVER HERE!"  
  
The portal disappeared and a girl in flowing white, with brown hair pulled behind her head in a ponytail and eyes that seemed to alternate between green and yellow landed from out of nowhere next to Beta.  
  
"Not only will I kill you, but I'll murder this whole stupid city!"  
  
"Who's that?"  
  
Seifer gestured his gunblade towards the new appearance.  
  
"Mighty cocky, huh? Hi there! I'm going to find Oren too! But first, I'll kill you guys! Does that sound fun?"  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Zidane, adjusting his stance.  
  
"I'm. . . Gamma! You're doom! You're death! Ready for some fun!? I sure am!"  
  
"You want to play with us. . . ?" asked Seifer, not quite sure.  
  
"Yep! I'll kill you little bastards! And have fun too! Tee hee!"  
  
". . . You seem too nice to wanna kill us!" said Vivi.  
  
"You seemed too cute to steal our home away from us, but hey!"  
  
"I still don't know what you mean" responded Zidane.  
  
Gamma turned to look at Beta.  
  
"You're right, they are lying jerks."  
  
"All the more reason for us to kill em' and just go back home to Pyros"  
  
The duelers all paused to look at each other, but before any blows could be landed, another gunshot landed in Gamma's brain, but only seemed to make her mad.  
  
"Who did that!?"  
  
A burnette with a weapon like Seifer's, weapon drawn was charging. Along with him came three girls, one with a pinwheel, another with a whip, and the last holding a nunchaku came charging in. The two other guys included a cowboy looking one with a rifle and a martial artist, given away is the way he ran in a special stance with his fists up.  
  
The six took position behind Zidane, Seifer and Vivi.  
  
"Who are you?" Zidane asked.  
  
"Introductions can wait," said the one with the gunblade.  
  
"Beta, do you really think we can take five of 'em?"  
  
"Not even a thousand could beat me, let alone the two of us. Lets just kill them and get our reward we have been delayed long enough"  
  
"I think you're forgetting something!" Everyone turned to see Dagger running, skirt over the ground to the field. With her old staff, she summoned Bahamut.  
  
The dragon appeared out of the sky and showered Beta and Gamma with meteors, and one large flare.  
  
"JESUS! PYROS DIDN'T TELL US THEY COULD SUMMON BAHAMUT!" Beta cried.  
  
"And I will do it again unless you depart immediately"  
  
"How about Quezacotl!" The gunblade-man concentrated, and a large yellow bird appeared, blasting them into the ground.  
  
Beta and Gamma struggled to get up, electricity still crackling all over them.  
  
Gamma let out a wild laugh.  
  
"You think you fools have beat us! I'll tell you one thing, this will be more fun than I thought! What a workout!"  
  
"There not even bruised. . . " noticed the blonde female with the whip.  
  
Something caught the brown hair guy's eye.  
  
". . . SEIFER!"  
  
He immediately held the blade to his neck; Seifer looked down and didn't move.  
  
The other five in the group seemed to become hostile.  
  
"Well if it isn't Commander Puberty?"  
  
Gamma and Beta seemed to be interested in the new development.  
  
"Hey!" Zidane shouted. "He's cool, leave him alone!"  
  
"This is a traitor. A disgrace to our cause, or my name isn't Squall Leonhart"  
  
"I don't know what you say he did, but he's been a help, and as the king of Alexandria, I order you to release him!"  
  
"As the commander of Balamb garden, I'll say that I'll do whatever the hell I want!"  
  
"As much as I'd like to say hi to you again, Squally-boy, we have much bigger problems. So save your little authority speech"  
  
Squall lowered the gunblade and he refaced his opponent.  
  
"If you all were quite finished," Beta declared. "May we please get back to slaughtering you all?"  
  
"Yeah, what a stroke of luck! Delta was supposed to get those guys!" Gamma giggled.  
  
"Yes, they are also on our little hit list. . . what were your names again?"  
  
"I am Squall Leonhart, liberator of my world and commander of Balamb Garden"  
  
"I'm Rinoa" the one with the pinwheel continued "and I will aid in your defeat"  
  
"My names Selphie! I kinda liked you, Gamma, but you leave us no choice," mentioned the one with the brown curls and the nunchaku.  
  
"The names Irvine, and I won't be defeated so easily, especially with Sephie by my side!" said the gunman, looking at Selphie.  
  
"My name is Quistis Trepe, and I believe you underestimated us," mentioned the one with the whip.  
  
The martial artist piped in.  
  
"I'm Zell, and I know two things, the suns goin' down and so are you!"  
  
Gamma and Beta smiled at the semi-inspiring introductions.  
  
"Where very glad you all are so cocky. We will be sure to mark your pride when we bury you all. I still do not understand why you believe you are any match for us."  
  
Beta and Gamma steadied themselves, and prepared for a Mach punch. The opposers all took offensive fighting stances, when suddenly.  
  
THWAAACKKK!  
  
"DAMMIT! NOT ANOTHER DELAY!" Beta and Gamma flew back into the castle walls, a big blue mark remaining on their chest areas.  
  
"You knuckle heads aren't laying a hand on these brave souls. Know run back to Pyros or something"  
  
The fighters turned in awe to see a man with light tan skin, dark hair, and a long tan coat. What was also noticeable was the wild blue glow in his eyes.  
  
"This is no fun! We can't even kill 'em!"  
  
Beta and Gamma looked at each other, and then the stranger.  
  
"We may not be able to beat you now, but when we come back with Alpha, Delta and Epsilon you won't stand a chance you sod buster! You'll regret those nineteen years ago you were born!" yelled Beta as they ran off and disappeared.  
  
In a moment, everyone wondered what would make this guy so strong that he would make those titans run off like babies.  
  
"Who are you?" Almost everyone asked in unison.  
  
"Hey, I've been looking for you guys. Allow me to introduce myself. I am a traveler, an ENEMY of those fools. My name is Oren. Oren Murasaki"  
  
***  
  
"Cid!" Cloud rushed to Cid and gave him a big hug. Tifa did the same.  
  
"Hey! I didn't know you guys were here! Red, you should be tellin' me these things!"  
  
"They just got here, you realize."  
  
"Cid, what are you doing in Cosmo Canyon?" asked Cloud.  
  
"I flew over here with the Highwind because Red asked me to take a look at that portal thingy. He thought I'd be able to fix it, but I don't even know what it is, let alone think it's broken"  
  
"Well, I was thinking we round up the others and maybe head into there. It must be here for a reason," said Cloud.  
  
"That's what I've been tellin Red the whole time I was here! The Highwind should round em all up quickly, don't you think?"  
  
"It'll be great be on there with you again, Cid" Tifa changed the subject.  
  
"We should get going right now!" Cid adjusted the cigar in his mouth, then took it out altogether and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"We don't even no our destination. I just recently brought you all to Cosmo Canyon"  
  
"I say we go to Costa de Sol. I heard that Reeve was working somewhere there. He may have files on whatever that thing in the air is" Cloud decided his sword would be best back in his sheath.  
  
"Who was Reeve again?" Cid asked.  
  
"Remember, he controlled the Cait Sith doll," Tifa reminded him.  
  
"Oh yeah. . . " everyone was silent as they remembered the experiences they had with him, being a traitor.  
  
"Well you dingbats won't get anywhere by just standing here, so lets go and find him already. My ship's been waitin' for a good fly"  
  
Cloud, Tifa, Red, and Cid made there way out of the room and through the narrow passage of the reddish rock in the canyon that hadn't been noticed before. There, in all of its glory as a machine, was the Highwind. It awakened something in Cloud to see that ship again, the source of so many memories, and what had saved their skin over and over again.  
  
As Cid approached the boarding area, Cloud stopped him.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to rest before you just head out like that? I mean we haven't seen each other in a while and we're pretty exhausted"  
  
"You're right Cloud. I wasn't really eager to just take off anyway. How about we just rest for a while, catch up on old times?"  
  
The party did. Cloud explained to Cid and Red the whole story about how Alpha had attacked them, and the strange things he had said along the way.  
  
"So you mean he actually said you were with that Mako guy?"  
  
"I agree with Cid. The mere prospect of an alliance puzzles me to no end"  
  
"Same here" said Tifa.  
  
"I tried to forget him, but I guess that its something we can never escape. And we even have a new threat on our hands, so we better watch it" Cloud pointed out.  
  
"Do you think there could be more than an Alpha?" Red asked, as his tail seemed to twitch.  
  
"Like a Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, etc.?" asked Cloud.  
  
"Precisely. He mentioned 'we', did he not? The idea of twenty-four of them doesn't rest on the mind very well"  
  
"I know what you mean. From the way you three talk about him, he must have been something.  
  
"He was. He almost broke my rib cage with this punch that was stronger than it should have been. And that wound to my chest might have been fatal had Red not brought that Cure materia with him"  
  
"He got your chest too?" Cid looked interested.  
  
"Yeah, and then I called him a moron because he didn't seem to know which side of the chest the human heart was on!"  
  
"That does sound pretty dumb. Almost as boneheaded as those bum pilots of mine that are always slackin'. I bet 600 gil that they're just playing cards in there right now hoping that I don't come back any time soon."  
  
"That's what I always think that Cloud's doing when I come in from work and he's still at home, except with him it's Solitaire!"  
  
"Hey!" The party got a good laugh out of that.  
  
"Why don't you and Cid tell us again how you two and Barret beat Emerald Weapon again" Red requested.  
  
"Alright. We were underwater and we only had a limited supply of air to breath, so I went crazy with my sword, while Cid looked like he just was slashing wildly, and Barret seemed to always miss. That monster had us pinned down until Cid called out some missiles and blew that thing out of the water! You should have heard it scream! When we thought we killed it tries to suck us in, and we start to run low on oxygen, so, I take out one of my old swords, and stuff it down its throat! I never thought I would have so much fun killing something"  
  
"And you wouldn't stop bragging about it for three days!" added Cid.  
  
"Until he realized he had sacrificed the Ragnarok and upgraded to the Ultima weapon instead" Red pointed out.  
  
The party finally stood up to depart on the Highwind when suddenly the engines blew out.  
  
"Dammit! I left her on too long!" said Cid, rushing up to check the engines.  
  
"Crap, now what will we use to fly?" Asked Cloud  
  
As if an answer to a prayer, a blue portal appeared in the sky, and a large airship of many colors rushed through, as the portal disappeared.  
  
The craft shook and then landed a few miles a way with a loud crash.  
  
Everyone looked at each other.  
  
"I'll fix my ship later. What the hell was that?"  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Another chapter down! You better like this one, I spent a long time just so I could satisfy you alls' suspense. I received positive reviews for this fic, and my Kingdom Hearts fic Crowned Hearts. Thank you again! I will continue to put up chapters as quick as I can, but keep in mind that I may spend two days on chapters from now on. 


	4. Chapter 4: Delta

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Four: Delta  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Delta? Here? Now? I thought he was dead. . .  
  
The group stared in awe at this new development. Seifer pointed his gunblade towards the person that seemed to know something they didn't.  
  
"YOUR Oren? The Oren?  
  
"Is there something so special about me?" he asked.  
  
"We've been hearing a lot about you, and here you are!" Zidane explained.  
  
". . . They haven't mentioned killing me, have they?"  
  
"Quite often, to tell you the truth" Zidane dropped his weapon by his side.  
  
"Not again! They won't leave me alone."  
  
"What did you do to them? What did we do to them? Why do they seem so dead set on eliminating us?"  
  
"Zidane and friends, there are others like you that I have to attend to, but I think I can explain things to you. First though, lets get to your castle for a little comfort."  
  
"Hold on!" Zidane pointed an accusing finger at Squall  
  
"Why should I, the king, allow the entrance of him or any of his hooligan friends after direct defiance of the king? The only outsiders I will allow are you and Seifer.  
  
How ironic, thought Squall. The one person that demonstrated wrong is the only one that holds the trust of King Hothead.  
  
"Wait, Zidane" Dagger came with a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"We saw the power of those two, and these arrivals seemed as if they were ready to fight. They deserve a chance"  
  
". . . Only if Mr. Leonhart here agrees that my authority completely overrules his!"  
  
"I will do no such thing!"  
  
"Enough! We have impending doom upon us, you wish for me to explain, and my presence is needed elsewhere. I ask that we just make our way into the guest area and I'll tell you everything you need to know. We are all on the same side, so I don't need anyone jumping at each other's throats. Understood?"  
  
The silence told Oren that he had got his message across.  
  
As the group made their way into the main gates, they noticed the still unconscious soldiers including Steiner and Beatrix.  
  
"What happened to them?" Zell questioned.  
  
"What almost happened to me. We have to help them" Zidane went over with a few elixirs in hand, but was stopped by Oren.  
  
"Hold on. . ." A blue glow surrounded them, and with a slight shimmer of light, their wounds closed up and the bruises disappeared.  
  
"They're fine. Just let them rest for a while and they'll be as good as new"  
  
Zidane made the way into the guest parlor, where there was a main room and three great conference rooms.  
  
"First, you all need some explaining. Zidane, these guys are all from a planet across the universe. They have been in many battles. This Seifer fellow that you seem to trust actually has quite a past, but I'll respect his privacy and let him tell you himself"  
  
The perpetual smirk on Seifer's face temporarily alleviated, earning him weird looks from Squall and his party"  
  
"Those portals you have been seeing are really small rips in the universe I have created. My original goal was to get you two groups and the guys from two other planets you don't know about to meet, but unfortunately Pyros and his gang of warriors got wise to my plan, and used the portals to transfer themselves here"  
  
Oren pause to take a breath.  
  
"I will ask one group of you all to go to one room, another group to another room. I also need you all to mix so you can get used to each other's presence. Both groups keep in mind that the others are here primarily because they have aided in the salvation of their planets, so don't underestimate each other. Squall, I want you, Zell, Dagger, Seifer, and Irvine to stay here. Zidane, you, Rinoa, Selphie, Quistis, and Vivi go to the room on the left"  
  
The directions were immediately followed, as both groups were eager for further explanation.  
  
"Okay, are their any comments?"  
  
Seifer jokingly raised his hand.  
  
"No need to raise your hand, but acknowledged"  
  
"What are you, exactly?"  
  
"I am called a Zatach. The Zatach are an ancient race of people from about 39.8 billion light-years away."  
  
"What exactly would a light-year be?" asked Dagger.  
  
"The Zatach adopted this measure from a planet called Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year. Since light travels at roughly 186282.2 miles a second, a light-year would be about 5,874,595,459,000 miles, and that would mean I my planet is 233,808,899,300,000 miles from here."  
  
Everyone's jaws dropped seemingly to the ground.  
  
"How the heck did you get here?" Irvine asked in complete shock.  
  
"I told you. I created a rip in the universe, a standard Zatach power. Anyhow, my planet became unstable and exploded seemingly without warning. The sheer power ripped a temporary hole in the universe, and I was blown to where I am now, seeing as I was in orbit at the time. Pyros and his warriors possessed ancient powers that allowed them to escape easily, and I had nowhere else to go. I banded with them and they said we would find another home. I found there plans were actually to take over some other planet. I escaped into a hiding spot"  
  
"But why do they hate you so much?" Squall finally sheathed Lionheart, which he had forgotten he was holding.  
  
"You see, an unknown source gave information about Pyros' plans to the planet they chose to invade. The planet's military retaliated and chased them off, and most of Pyros' warriors were injured. Omega was even killed. Because of the loss of Omega, they blamed me for giving out information, and I've been running ever since. Because they have found four planet so close together, they have decided that they would crush the possible forms of resistance before invading, and that would be you all."  
  
"That still doesn't explain why they seem to dislike us personally. And that king also mentioned one calling him an ally of his very enemy. What's that mean?" Zell questioned.  
  
"I honestly don't know. I have told you everything I do know, though, and that's all."  
  
"Well, you can beat em, right? Those two ran off when they saw you!"  
  
Oren sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"You don't understand. When Omega died, I took in all of his awesome power. But since I'm not the real Omega, I can't handle the power, and will soon go back to the way I was. Zatach are generally powerful, but nothing that you couldn't handle. I was once able to take on Pyros and his twenty-three warriors, but now I can barely handle four of them. Omega's power inside me is dwindling, and soon I'll barely be able to handle one. That is precisely why I tried to get you all together; to train you to defend yourselves and maybe defeat them. I cannot protect you for much longer. As a matter of fact, if Beta and Gamma come back with Alpha, Delta and Epsilon, then I'm pretty much a goner. I'm the first on their hit list."  
  
Squall spoke up.  
  
"Who were the others you spoke of?"  
  
"They are from planets on the other side of this galaxy called Spira, while the other one is simply referred to as 'The Planet' as far as I know"  
  
"How will you train us then?" the Alexandrian queen asked, further stepping into the inquisition.  
  
"I plan on gathering you all in one place then going to Mr. Leonhart's planet. I have a fine facility arranged.  
  
"One more thing" asked Seifer.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Could you pull some strings with the government or something? You know my past and . . . "  
  
"What makes you thing I am in such a position?"  
  
"I noticed you have a Galbadian military logo of a high-ranking officer on your shirt"  
  
"Oh that. . . I'll speak of that later. After I brief the other group, my friend Jessica will be here shortly for more assistance. After that you'll be on your own for a while, because I'll be gathering the others. Jessica has helped me a lot through my travels, and is probably the sweetest girl ever, really. She'll give you more info if you need it. Later, for now"  
  
With that, Oren stuck fire across the carpet as he raced at an incredible speed towards the other conference room, setting half of the room in a light blaze.  
  
"What the hell!?" Zell exclaimed.  
  
"Think he'll teach us to do that?" Seifer asked jokingly.  
  
***  
  
Rinoa and Selphie were giggling over Oren in some sort of 'boy' conversation.  
  
"He wears all of those clothes and that hood, I can barely see him. How do you think he looks underneath?" asked Rinoa to Selphie.  
  
"Gross!"  
  
"I didn't mean it like that!"  
  
"He sure is taking his time. I bet he separated my queen and me on purpose! He even left my friend to that Squall guy"  
  
"He did say we had to mingle a little, right? So maybe we should talk to those three girls and find out a little" said Vivi.  
  
"You go on ahead"  
  
The conference room was large and narrow with long tables and many large wooden oak chairs as well as floors and walls of pure marble made for only the finest of people to confer.  
  
Zidane and Vivi were on one far end, with Rinoa, Selphie, and Quistis on the other.  
  
Vivi walked up to them and introduced himself, straightening his hat.  
  
"H-hello there" Vivi really wasn't normally as social as this, but he felt that he might as well give a formal introduction sooner or later.  
  
"Hi! You.um.look kind of funny" Selphie said from her chair, trying not to hurt Vivi's feelings.  
  
"I'm a black mage"  
  
"Sounds pretty cute!" Rinoa speculated aloud.  
  
"Actually most of the things are actually pretty violent"  
  
"How so?" Selphie was intrigued by Vivi's claim.  
  
"Because of the magic involved like Firaga, Flare, an Ultima now and then"  
  
"You mean a little guy like you knows those spells!?" Rinoa stood up.  
  
As Vivi began to explain, he was satisfied with himself that he was making a little conversation.  
  
Quistis had remained silent until she spoke up about Oren's timing.  
  
"He wasn't walking very fast, do you think he's crippled in the leg or very slow?" she asked. She hadn't realized how loud she had said it until Selphie, Rinoa, and Vivi looked up.  
  
"What if he is crippled!?" asked Rinoa.  
  
"Well he sure is slow!" yelled Zidane from across the room. Everyone chuckled, but tried to cover it up. People shouldn't be made fun of for being slow.  
  
TTHHWAAACK!  
  
Oren burst in, shattering the door and leaving a trail of fire.  
  
"Damn! How the heck did you do that!?" Zidane asked, standing up in his chair.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You freakin' set my freakin' carpet on freakin' fire!  
  
"Was I running that fast? I always thought that was pretty slow."  
  
Everyone fell silent as they contemplated how fast he could be if he tried and how fast he was without it. They also gulped at the thought of how they had called him slow.  
  
"I'm sorry about the carpet, it will be repaired, and the fire should burn itself out.  
  
Oren briefed the party on the situation and his origin until they had as much information as Squall and the others.  
  
"Alright. Now you all go to the main hall. Relax, talk, find out a little about each other, rest, find a room, get a battle plan, talk to Jessica, make fun of me behind my back, anything to keep yourselves busy. I'll be back shortly with more troops, and we can regroup to Squall's planet. Zidane, please gather your other friends. Amarant, Steiner, maybe Beatrix, Eiko, Freya, and if you feel desperate enough, then Quina as well"  
  
Everyone nodded or gave a word of acknowledgement.  
  
Oren was about to leave for 'The Planet' when he noticed Quistis had a worried expression on her face.  
  
"Are you alright? Someone so beautiful shouldn't look so worried"  
  
Quistis blushed slightly at the statement.  
  
"It's nothing. Don't worry about me."  
  
"Fine then. Farewell for now, everybody!"  
  
Oren waved his hands in a strange fashion and then with a crushing sound a blue hole tore open in the air itself with a loud roar. Oren stepped through, and then him and the portal disappeared.  
  
***  
  
Oren found himself in what appeared to be a room in what he already knew was Cosmo Canyon. Inside was another portal.  
  
Guess I'd better get rid of that.  
  
Oren waved his hands again and the portal disappeared.  
  
***  
  
"We're goin' down! Everyone prepare for impact! She's losin' altitude fast!"  
  
Cid's warnings rang out through the speaker and everyone on the machina airship immediately hit the deck.  
  
"She'll be down in five, four, three, EVERYONE GET DOWN!"  
  
The ship plowed across the grass fields and the friction began to fry the lower portion. Everyone on the bridge shook from the bumpy ride.  
  
Cid looked up just a little over the seat, and saw a huge dune of sand by the beach.  
  
"EVERYONE HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!"  
  
The ship went from sixty to zero miles per hour in a second, sending everything that wasn't firmly attached flying forward from the amazing inertia, and Wakka and Tidus who hadn't had enough time to hold anything straight into the seats which were fortunately cushioned. It had been a good thing that the only people on the ship were on the bridge, or there might have been quite a bit of chaos.  
  
After a few minutes, Cid slowly stood up.  
  
"Everyone alright?"  
  
"We're still alive, if that's what you mean" Tidus muttered from the deck.  
  
Everyone stood up, a little shaky from the crash.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Lulu noticed that their surroundings had changed dramatically. What had once been cliffs and cloudy skies were now very clear skies with flat fields, forests, and a beach.  
  
The group assembled in the front of the bridge taking a look at the new area.  
  
"Well, I don't think we're in Luca anymore" Rikku mentioned.  
  
"I should think not, queen of understatement" Wakka said jokingly. He still loved to get a harmless joke in here and there at Rikku, likely from the lingering feelings about the Al Bhed, even though he was sure he had gotten over that.  
  
"We won't get anywhere staying here . . . T-man, you and your friends scope the area and report back."  
  
"Why us!?"  
  
"Because your mostly young and battle-ready. So I'm relying on you, Timothy"  
  
"But Yuna and I are seventeen, your daughter is sixteen, Wakka and Lulu are twenty-three and twenty-two respectively, and who knows how old Kimahri is!?"  
  
Kimahri tried to ignore Tidus's last remark.  
  
"Don't worry Tidus, the six of us are invincible" said Yuna reassuringly.  
  
"Right. I'm counting on you to help me keep my ship safe, Ted"  
  
"Fine. . . and its Tidus!"  
  
"That's what I said"  
  
With Tidus in the lead and Yuna by his side, who was flanked by Kimahri with Wakka, Lulu and Rikku bringing up the rear, the group set out the opposite direction they had came, noticing the gigantic trail the ship had left when it scraped the ground. They also noticed the broken trees in the forests that they had skimmed.  
  
"Kimahri think that we find answers at beginning of trail"  
  
Tidus didn't respond but knew that Kimahri knew he was following his idea when he shifted to lead his party towards the trail and along it in the opposite direction.  
  
***  
  
Cloud, Red, Tifa, and Cid rode the convertible from Cosmo Canyon as fast as they could, following the trail of broken trees and eventually the large crater of a trail.  
  
"Whatever came through here must have been either very bad at aviation, not meant for it, or had some sort of navigational difficulty. . . " Red noticed the large trail.  
  
Cloud hit the gas harder, sensing that he was coming closer to his goal. Soon, he saw six black dots on the horizon, and warned the party:  
  
"They may be hostile, so have your weapons ready just in case"  
  
Cloud drove with one hand and held the Ultima Weapon in the other.  
  
Tifa exposed the Premium Hearts; and Red secured his headband that wasn't his most powerful but one of his favorites, the Seraph Comb. Cid set the Venus Gospel against the seat in front of him. They all hoped, however, the persons weren't hostile.  
  
***  
  
"Is dat a machina truck comin' dis way?"  
  
Wakka knew the car as machina because ground machina transportation had become popular after the fall of Yu Yevon.  
  
"It might be. Everyone have your weapons ready, just in case" Tidus instructed.  
  
The party withdrew the Caladbolg, World Champion, Nirvana, Onion Knight, Spirit Lance, and Godhand (Tidus, Wakka, Yuna, Lulu, Kimahri, and Rikku respectively)  
  
***  
  
Cloud noticed that the party that they were approaching also had weapons drawn. Perhaps they were hostile. There was a blonde guy, another dark- haired female, an ominous looking woman with long black braids and a black dress, a guy that looked like he bough a costume from Costa de Sol, a smaller looking girl, and a lion-man.  
  
"Funny-looking group" Cid muttered under his breath.  
  
"Pretty friendly-looking, too" Tifa added sarcastically.  
  
***  
  
The approaching vehicle stopped, and Tidus halted his group about twenty feet away.  
  
"Hi there!" he yelled.  
  
"Do you want to hurt us?"  
  
***  
  
"It depends if you want to hurt us"  
  
"Sorry, bad start" apologized the blonde.  
  
"How about an introduction. I'm Tidus, and these people are Yuna, Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri, and Rikku"  
  
"I'm Cloud. This is Red, Cid, and Tifa. What happened to you all?"  
  
Lulu stepped in and clearly explained everything to the new acquaintances.  
  
"Is this Spira?" asked Tidus. Everyone began to put up his or her weapons.  
  
"Spira? I don't think so. Where exactly is Spira?" Cloud answered.  
  
"Never mind. Thank you for your help, we should be reporting back now"  
  
"Wait!" said Tifa "we just met you, do you want us to go back with you? If a ship crashed, Cid could probably fix it"  
  
"I don't think an old Al Bhed guy has much expertise on that!"  
  
"Huh?" Cid shifted his cigar.  
  
"Oh, you mean that Cid. The pilot of our airship is also named Cid"  
  
"He flies! What are the odds? I'd like to meet this guy, and maybe I could fix your ship"  
  
"You mean you're a pilot like my father?"  
  
"A full fledged one. I'd say I'm probably the best damn pilot this side of the universe!"  
  
"What the heck. These people seem to know this place. Lets go!" Tidus motioned back the way they had came and the now larger group followed them back towards the airship.  
  
***  
  
The group had assembled, including Steiner and Beatrix, in the main hall and began relaxing on the many facilities. There was plenty of food, drink, and leisure to last for a while.  
  
"Hey Rusty, I'm going to take a little nap, could you tell me when that transport is here?"  
  
"I seems it already is, sire"  
  
Just as Zidane thought he would feel the satisfaction of being called that, the heard a knock on the large doors. Everyone looked as they slowly opened. In the doorway stood Freya, Amarant, Eiko, and unfortunately Quina as well.  
  
Zidane, Dagger, Vivi, and Steiner immediately went to greet their friends, who they hadn't seen in a while.  
  
"Amarant, buddy how're ya doing?" asked Zidane.  
  
Amarant slightly raised an eyebrow wondering how this big king now regarded him as a best friend.  
  
"Well I've been stumbling over myself to leave Dali and come here, only to have an unpleasant trip thanks to that loudmouth Lani"  
  
"Lani was on the ship?"  
  
"She insisted that she come along, not my idea. Now how about you tell us why we're here."  
  
"It's kind of a long--"  
  
"Zidane! It has been a long time. You greet that pale-faced punk before me?" asked Freya jokingly.  
  
"I didn't mean to ignore you, I was just about to--"  
  
"Never mind that Zidane" the Burmecian slightly adjusted her red hat so she could look Zidane in the eye.  
  
"Explain why we're here"  
  
"It's because--"  
  
"ZIDANE!" Quina landed behind him with a loud thud.  
  
"Quina wish to know why you take from tasty frogs to come here!"  
  
Zidane's expression became deeply annoyed.  
  
"If you all would just--"  
  
"Zidane! How's my favorite guy!?" Eiko jumped into his arms.  
  
"I came all the way from Lindblum, doing my best faces at daddy to get here. Why did you call us?"  
  
"Let me explain! I--"  
  
Suddenly there was a roaring sound as a blue portal opened and a beautiful girl in her late-teens stepped from it, closing it completely. Her long white hair slowly fell in its ponytail down to her feet almost, her attire being a space-age type with tight pants and shirt, and one small gun strapped to her leg.  
  
Everyone stared in silence.  
  
"Are you Jessica?" Squall spoke up from across the room.  
  
"That would be me, yes" she spoke in a light voice, nodding her head.  
  
"I trust Oren told you all about me. For all of you that don't know. . . " Four lasers extended from her head and filled the room in a purple light, which then disappeared.  
  
"Whoa!" yelled Amarant.  
  
"Overload, definitely!" Eiko clutched her head.  
  
"I apologize. That was just supposed to fill you all in. I suppose you know why you are here now."  
  
Amarant, Freya, Quina, and Eiko nodded, the information being beamed in their heads of the situation suddenly overwhelmed them a bit, especially since it was their first experience of receiving telepathic understanding.  
  
"Oren should be back in some minutes and we can head off for preparations. . . meanwhile he asked me to look after you all, so I'll just be in the corner if you need me."  
  
Jessica rushed towards the far corner of the large royal area, streaking fire that sizzled and burned itself out across the carpet. Those that hadn't seen it before dropped their jaws. Zidane just put his hand to his head, partly because he never had a chance to explain, partly because he knew that the scorched carpets would be blamed on him because of the fact that he was a man in a high place.  
  
Squall noticed Seifer leaning on a wall, staring at the new appearance. Squall was hesitant to trust him after his previous actions, but he would have to work with him, eventually.  
  
Squall slowly walked over to Seifer's position.  
  
Seifer felt the hair on the back of his neck tense as Squall closed in.  
  
What could he have in store for me, now? Just don't be too hard. . .  
  
"Seifer" Squall said when he had reached his destination.  
  
"I know that we've had our differences, but please, let us just put those aside and try to work together. Is that understood?"  
  
". . . Yeah. I guess. Squall, I have to tell you, my mind wasn't right back then. I'm not making any excuses, but I'm sorry for what happened. I can't change it, but I can rectify it. Is that okay?"  
  
Squall was relieved to hear that Seifer was willing to cooperate and even apologize.  
  
"It's beyond okay. It's perfect. Thank you for your cooperation."  
  
Seifer found himself alone and continued staring at Jessica.  
  
She's beautiful. Maybe she's doesn't have a boyfriend. . . what am I thinking? She's probably some survived Zatach, and I'm human. Not to mention that Oren guy. I have nothing against him but a girl like that is probably involved. Even if she wasn't I still have to compete with the likes of people like Oren. . . I have to talk to her.  
  
Seifer finally walked to where she was sitting. She seemed to be studying a map of the galaxy with a tiny blue dot that seemed to be alive.  
  
"What's that?" Seifer asked her as he stopped next to her position, sitting next to her.  
  
"This? I use this to keep track of Oren. The blue dot is him, he must still be on that other planet. It shouldn't be long now"  
  
"Good"  
  
There was a pause as she continued staring at the blue dot slowly but surely move across the 3D-figure of one planet, slowly but surely to an area of water.  
  
"So, are you and Oren. . . ?"  
  
"Involved? No, not really. We're really just good friends, he's not my type"  
  
"Not you're type? How so?"  
  
"Well, he's to cautious, and too kind as well. He thinks too much about other people. Would you believe that we had to fight for our lives against notorious figures, and he, in all his power, has never killed anyone"?  
  
"Geez. . . that IS pretty amazing"  
  
"But that doesn't mean I don't like him. He's a good guy, and wanted to do everything he could to save your planets. He's only nineteen and he's seen more than what most people have in their entire lives"  
  
"I see"  
  
There was another long silence as Jessica continued studying the map.  
  
"You know, I met him when I was looking for my brother, Omega. I thought Oren was him for a while because he had his power, but I soon realized the truth. He was very sympathetic towards me and we became friends. I joined him on his junky little ship trying to get to this place and save it. Even though those portals get us light-years, they have limits. We were still so far it took Pyros and his warriors about a few days longer than us to get here. It took us five years."  
  
"Five years!? You must really care about us"  
  
"No. I didn't care at all. Oren cared. I told him we were miserable enough, that we didn't need any more problems, but I was kind of selfish. He insisted that we go, so we did. I was only twelve then, so it's actually kind of a big thing that I'm finally in the galaxy that we were trying to save."  
  
"That must be great"  
  
"It is. It's wonderful"  
  
Jessica finally put the map away.  
  
"I think I'm more interested in talking to you than studying this map."  
  
Seifer was flattered by her words.  
  
"The only person I've opened up to this much since Zata blew into a trillion pieces is Oren, and I'm not even sure that I conveyed this much even to him. I like having you as a listener"  
  
"Thanks a lot, except I've always been more of a talker"  
  
"Then tell me, what were your parents like?"  
  
Seifer paused and began to go into a short story that he would feel a little scared to tell for the first time in years.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: This chapter was about 4500 words, and that's how long I think I'll be making all my chapters. Don't forget to read my Kingdom Hearts fic, Crowned Hearts if you're interested. The next chapter will focus on FFVII/X since this one focused on FFVIII/IX. I also got word from a reviewer that Zidane's power should outlaw Squall's, which is mostly true, so I emphasized that a little earlier in this fic. Anyway, until next chapter. . . 


	5. Chapter 5: Epsilon

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Five: Epsilon  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
It's about time Epsilon came back. That fool has no life.  
  
Cid sat in the pilot's seat of the machina airship, waiting for the "scouts" that he had sent out to return with information on the surroundings. He was relieved when he noticed the approaching figures, but was worried when he saw four more coming along with them.  
  
He heard of a buzz on the door of the ship, and had almost forgotten to let down the platform so that they could board.  
  
After a few minutes the group made it to the bridge, and Cid turned around.  
  
"You know, we might be able to find our way back. The ship surprisingly ain't as damaged as I thought, and we can fly 'er. She's tougher than I thought"  
  
Everyone took their positions on the bridge save the four newcomers, who stood at the entrance in awe. The one with the cigar, especially, seemed to be interested deeply in the colorful-looking interior, three-dimensional control panels that popped up from the consoles, and the wide windows that gave an amazing view of the outside.  
  
"Aviation of the future. . . " he said.  
  
"Who are these guys?"  
  
"These are Cloud, Cid, Red and Tifa, daddy"  
  
"Ya'll can take a seat if you want, buy do ya have business here?"  
  
"They may be able to help us navigate, and on top of that, they have weapons and may be able to help defend our ship if necessary." Tidus explained.  
  
Cid Highwind quickly walked up to Cid the Al Bhed.  
  
"Are you Cid, by any chance?"  
  
"That'd be me. I hear yer a Cid too"  
  
Cid quickly put his cigar in his pocket on put on his goggles.  
  
"This is the best-lookin' ship that I've ever seen! Is it capable of space flight? Are you the pilot? Can I give it a spin?"  
  
"Slow down there! I wouldn't know if it was capable of space flight because I've never heard of space. I am the pilot, and if you're one too you shouldn't have much trouble figuring out the controls"  
  
Cid seemed impressed.  
  
"You all have never heard of space?" he asked  
  
The Spirans slowly shook their heads.  
  
"Space is what you see at night when you look up in the sky! Space is where the stars and the sun are!"  
  
Cid, Brother, Rikku, Lulu, Tidus, Wakka, Yuna, and Kimahri all gave him blank looks.  
  
"I'll show you! Let me pilot this thing!"  
  
"I guess. . . " Cid stepped away from the controls, and Cid Highwind took over.  
  
"These actually seem pretty simple. . . " he said as he strapped himself in.  
  
"CRAP!" yelled Cloud.  
  
He, Tifa, an Red immediately found a seat and strapped themselves in. Red, of course, had a little trouble.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lulu questioned Cloud directly.  
  
Cid may be a good pilot, but expect a turbulent flight.  
  
"Everyone should find a seat. . . " Cid said, unresponsive to Tidus' comment.  
  
Everyone scrambled to a seat.  
  
"Now I'm sure! She can fly, all right! Everyone, prepare for liftoff!"  
  
The ship started slowly, than began rocketing upwards with a roar as everyone was pressed back in his or her seat.  
  
Cloud, Tifa, and Red weren't worried because they trusted Cid.  
  
The Spirans weren't worried because they hadn't yet contemplated space travel. Rikku, however, soon got a little worried.  
  
"Your flying straight up! Are you sure you won't be struck by Yevon!?"  
  
"Huh!!? Who's Yev. . . " voices were soon drowned out as the ship approached the speed of sound, then twice as fast, three times faster, four, and finally five times faster.  
  
The ship rumbled slightly as Cid guided it through the atmosphere at just the right angle, and finally, there was silence as the ship went into space. Everyone let out sounds of amazement looking down on Spira.  
  
"Amazing." said Yuna.  
  
"You'll have to teach me how to do that, man" said Cid.  
  
Highwind wore a proud expression on his face, and decided to have a little fun.  
  
"Cloud, Tifa, Red, remain seated, if you know what I mean. . . "  
  
"Cid, you shouldn't be--"  
  
"Shh!" Cid cut Red off.  
  
The Spirans began to take off their belts, and then, were floating around.  
  
"AHHH!" Cid let out a girly scream.  
  
"What's goin' on!?" asked Wakka as he bounced off of the ceiling and then floated back down.  
  
Cid Highwind let out a chuckle.  
  
"Of course you know what gravity is. In space, there is none!"  
  
***  
  
Oren appeared suddenly in the crater left where the ship had taken off.  
  
"My senses indicate they went. . . "  
  
Oren looked up.  
  
"Why did they go to space?"  
  
***  
  
Barret wiped the sweat off of his forehead, and continued relaxing on his couch in the nicely rebuilt Corel. Marlene sate at his side watching television.  
  
"Daddy, when will we see Mr. Strife again?"  
  
"I thought he was visitin' today, darlin'. He must be a little late."  
  
The massive man stood up, remembering again he had a gun-arm.  
  
With the way things have been, it might as well be a teddy bear. . . he thought.  
  
Barret went to get more lemonade from the refrigerator on the opposite room of the parlor, but was interrupted by a blue zap and a sudden appearance of a strange man with black jeans with matching boots, skin of a light tan color and long brown coat made of a wooly material, not to mention an eerie blue glow in his eyes.  
  
"What the he--" Barret remembered his manners in front of Marlene just in time.  
  
"Sorry for bursting in like that, but I haven't much time. My name is Oren Murasaki, are you Barret?"  
  
"Excuse me? Who are you? And how you do that?"  
  
"I swear I'll explain later. I'm a friend, I know Cloud. Please, just bring Marlene and touch my shoulder.  
  
"How did you know about Marlene? Are you one of them monkey salesmen? I told you that monkeys scare me and I don't want one"  
  
"?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Sir, please just come and I'll rescue you from those. . . monkey salesmen"  
  
Barret decided to just sit down on the couch.  
  
"I don't believe you, now get out of my house"  
  
". . . I understand you have to watch over Corel, but this may concern the whole world. I may even be able to get Aeris back. . . "  
  
Barret sat bolt upright. Marlene, who had been paying little attention before, was now suddenly interested in the event.  
  
"I believe you then. Come on Marlene."  
  
"Okay!" Marlene ran over to Barret and was lifted on his shoulder, happy at the thought of finding the flower lady.  
  
Barret touched Oren's shoulder.  
  
"I trust you"  
  
"Thank you"  
  
With a roar, a portal appeared and Oren took his company through.  
  
***  
  
"What do you mean I don't have enough?"  
  
"Look, MAN, I don't care if you're an honorary Shinra employee, I don't care if you have benefits from employment, and I really don't give a shit if there happens to be a claim that you have payment in prior."  
  
"You don't understand, I was among the group that defeated Sephiroth!"  
  
"Sir, that was a doll you were controlling, that also self-destructed. You do understand that I can't give you any credit based on those claims?"  
  
". . . " Reeve looked the man in the eye that had come to collect his bills. With money he had counted on the city to pay, therefore didn't have it himself.  
  
"Someone help me!" he looked into the sky and pleaded for help.  
  
A loud boom made Reeve and the IRS agent jump in surprise.  
  
"DEBT CANCELLED! I DIDN'T KNOW I MADE GOD ANGRY! NOW I'LL CATCH HOLY HELL!"  
  
The IRS agent ran away at high speeds towards his car and drove off down the bumpy road of Junon that had actually gotten much bigger due to the lack of losses from Mako.  
  
Thank you, god. Reeve thought.  
  
Reeve had moved away from his station in Shinra long before the other residents because he knew that Meteor would hit long prior. He had moved his station for the controlling of the Cait Sith doll to the safer Junon, and the town had insisted on making him a permanent resident due to the publicity he would receive for aiding in the saving of the planet.  
  
Reeve closed the door and turned to see Barret, a strange guy, and Marlene.  
  
"What the. . . how did you guys get in here? Your not assisting in the sale of those damn monkeys, are you?"  
  
Reeve asked suspiciously.  
  
The strange man spoke up.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I will introduce myself. I'm Oren Murasaki, and I am in need of your mechanical assistance, so do you think I could have you come with me?"  
  
Reeve backed away.  
  
"Come on man, he's cool" Barret tried to convince him.  
  
"Daddy says he's a nice man, Mr. Reeve. I bet he's nicer than you!"  
  
Marlene was referring to the kidnapping earlier. She still hadn't completely forgiven him.  
  
"I guess, but one more question. Are you with the IRS, Murasaki?"  
  
"What does IRS stand for?"  
  
Reeve looked at Barret and smiled.  
  
"The Idiotic Retard Service" said Reeve with a chuckle.  
  
"I thought it was the Internal Revenue Service?" said Barret with a questioning glance.  
  
"What's the difference?" asked Reeve as he walked up to Oren.  
  
"I'm--"  
  
"Reeve, I know. I have been searching for you. Please touch my shoulder."  
  
The second Reeve's hand hit Oren's shoulder, there was a roar and the party disappeared into another destination.  
  
***  
  
Yuffie stared in awe at the many balls of materia she had gained from the party that they had willingly relinquished.  
  
"So much materia, so much more than I've ever had! I'll make a freakin' fortune!"  
  
Yuffie had emptied her bag in the rec room of the training facility in the central area of the much larger Wutai. The glow of the balls of many colors and types filled her eyes as she felt that all of her need for money and materia had been satisfied.  
  
There was a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in!"  
  
A shop owner came in with a big smile on his face.  
  
"Ms. Yuffie, did you hear the news? Materia mines were discovered all over Wutai from the energy left over from the Mako. There are millions upon millions in this one area!"  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
The owner's smile was replaced by a worried expression.  
  
"Did I say something wrong, Ms. Yuffie?"  
  
"Now the prices of materia will go down, won't they!?"  
  
"Well yes. Prices have been reduced by about ninety-two percent here in Wutai."  
  
"DAMMIT! ALL MY WORK!"  
  
Yuffie started screaming and pounding on the walls throwing random balls of materia around. The shop owner just barely dodged one, and decided he had best leave.  
  
Suddenly with a roar, after the shop owner left, a portal of blue appeared and out came Oren, Barret, Reeve, and Marlene. Oren spoke rapidly because he had grown weary of explanation.  
  
"HellomynameisOrenyoudon'tknowmeIknowyoufollowmesowecancombineforcesandpossi blyreviveAerisandthisguynamedAuronyoudon'tknowaboutbutwe'llneedthehelpofthe. . Turks."  
  
Yuffie didn't catch any of that except for the part about the enemy the deeply disliked. The Turks.  
  
***  
  
Seifer sat in deeper into the seat he couldn't really recline in, Jessica looking on waiting from sort of response from him.  
  
"My parents, the story of them actually isn't a very happy one"  
  
"I don't mind, if you're willing to tell it"  
  
"I am. My father, I don't really know who he was, but I can go on what my mom would say about him. . . "  
  
***  
  
The five-year-old Seifer ran to is mother, who was Evaria Almasy. Through the front door of his little house by the beach on Centra, through the kitchen, and into the living room where his mother seemed to be intently watching the news was where the child was headed.  
  
"Mommy! I saw this cool knife called a gunblade! Can I have one?"  
  
". . . Not now dear, I'm watching the news" Seifer was certainly his mother's child. His features deriving completely from her, save the smirk adopted from his father. The woman sat with her arms folded and her legs crossed, absent-mindedly stroking her son's hair and brushing some of her own out of her eyes so that she could watch the television with no interference.  
  
"Mom, whatcha watchin'?"  
  
"The sorceress war, honey. They say that live broadcasts like this soon may not be possible if some plan works to trap Adel"  
  
"She's that mean sorceress, right mom?"  
  
"Yes, son" she said, not even taking her focus off of the screen.  
  
"Mom, will dad come home if the war ends?"  
  
For the first time Evaria looked away to see her son, and smiled.  
  
"If Loire's plan works, and Adel is defeated, then he'll be back"  
  
"Mom. What's he like?"  
  
"He's a great man. You would love him, Seifer. He left, right before you were born, but you'll see him now. He really loves you and wants to see you"  
  
"I wanna see him too!"  
  
Seifer never saw his father. Because the next day.  
  
"MOMMY!" Seifer ran up in his nightclothes as fast as his legs would carry him up the stairs.  
  
"The war's over! Daddy's coming home!"  
  
Evaria woke up out of bed and took the veil off of her eyes.  
  
"What? Where did you here this?"  
  
"Mom, the news says it! Come watch!"  
  
Evaria ran down almost as fast as her son.  
  
". . . And all soldiers are reporting back home. We can now shout victory, for the world is liberated again from Sorceress Adel!"  
  
Evaria's eyes widened as she heard the reporter. She and Seifer danced around, eager to see the man return.  
  
It was now around nine o' clock p.m. and the man still hadn't returned. It was storming wildly outside, and Evaria sat with her son who was crying, hoping to see his father. There was a bang on the door and a crack of thunder.  
  
Evaria ran hoping to see her love again, but was dismayed to see an Esthar soldier.  
  
"Yes?" she asked as if in a hurry.  
  
"Mrs., I mean Ms. Almasy, we are sorry to say that you're husband was killed in the last battle fought against Adel before the new president Loire imprisoned her. We are very sorry."  
  
"No.no.. YOU'RE LYING! Get off of my property you bastard!"  
  
"Again, I'm very sorry" the Esthar soldier ran back to the shore where the docked ship was.  
  
Seifer walked to his mother.  
  
"Mom? Is dad coming?"  
  
"Yes son. Those bad men were lying. He'll be here tomorrow."  
  
"Okay mommy. I love you"  
  
"I love you too son. Now lets go to bed"  
  
The next day there was a bang on the door.  
  
Evaria opened the door and saw two Galbadian soldiers at the entrance.  
  
"Excuse me"  
  
She ran to her son who was on the couch.  
  
"Seifer-honey"  
  
She crouched down and talked to her son.  
  
"Son, hide behind the couch until mommy says its okay, alright?"  
  
"Okay mom" Seifer complied, even though he was hesitant to withdraw himself from the Sorceresses Knight movie starring Laguna Loire. His victory pose with the gunblade was so awesome, he would have to try it.  
  
Seifer hid behind the couch and peeped.  
  
The soldiers came in.  
  
"What did Almasy tell you?" they snapped.  
  
"I don't know what you mean. He hasn't even returned, so stop pestering me, okay?"  
  
"Liar. I hope we won't have to force the info out of you. He was planning something big against Galbadia, six months from now. We heard, you know"  
  
"Listen, I know nothing. I have a child here and you need to just--"  
  
The soldier slammed her into the ground.  
  
"Hold her down," commanded the other one.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Seifer wanted to help, but he knew he couldn't disobey mother.  
  
"I don't know--"  
  
"Kill her"  
  
"No! I have a child!"  
  
"That's a lie, too, isn't it?"  
  
The soldier that was given orders took out his machine gun and emptied every round into her body as Seifer hid behind the chair not looking at the scene unfolding.  
  
When he came out, he saw a trail of blood leading to a transport that had long since departed.  
  
***  
  
"I lost two parents in such a short time. It isn't really a happy story. I've gotten over it a little but I don't like following orders"  
  
Jessica looked horribly sad.  
  
"Seifer, I'm so sorry. I didn't know--"  
  
"That's okay. I told it on my own free will"  
  
She stood up, her ponytail falling back to the back of her.  
  
"I suppose I had better prepare then. Oren should be back in about fifteen minutes."  
  
Seifer felt strange. He had never let out that story aloud. How his life was crushed. He was glad she hadn't asked him to go any further, for he might have become emotionally unstable.  
  
Could that be why I don't follow orders well? Because the last one I did was enough to have my mother killed? Just by not showing myself?  
  
"Again, Seifer, I'm sorry. My story will have to wait, I have to announce Oren's reappearance."  
  
With that she struck towards the center of the imperial room, trying not to make sparks flame up.  
  
***  
  
Oren appeared in the Turk headquarters, a rather professional looking place due to the large money recently acquired from Shinra.  
  
Rude was sorting through as many papers as he could, getting it all finished. What Reno would call the "technical stuff".  
  
Elena would check funds and job offers on the computer, what Reno would call the "nerd stuff".  
  
Reno would slack with his boots on his desk, what Rude and Elena would call the "damn lazy bum stuff".  
  
"Rude, you done yet? I want action"  
  
"You know, we can't do anything until all of the important things are taken care of. Why do you refuse to see this? I guess its because YOU spend you time slacking, huh Reno?" Elena spoke up for her often-silent comrade.  
  
" I doubt it. You all don't seem to be getting anything done. When it comes down to the jobs themselves, I'm the main worker."  
  
"You shut up!" Elena stood up from her monitor glaring at Reno. "You don't know the half of all that we have to do just to keep you butt in check! If not for us you would have lost business completely and the ranking of a true Turk!"  
  
"Whatever. Just finish whatever you have to so the money can roll in"  
  
There's no talking to him, Elena thought as she sat back down rolling her eyes and straightening her blue suit.  
  
He doesn't work, calculate, the guy doesn't even tuck in his shirt! How did he become the leader?  
  
Vincent walked in to the door.  
  
"What the?" Reno stood up from the desk.  
  
"Aren't you that vampire guy? What are you doing here?"  
  
Vincent paused, adjusting his frightening figure in the doorway, which was actually one of the few things that would send chills up the spine of a Turk.  
  
"I came to ask a favor"  
  
Reno turned to his fellow Turks who were watching him, smiled, and turned back around.  
  
"Listen, I know we haven't been the best of friends, but if you name your price. . . "  
  
Barret with Marlene on his shoulder, Oren, Yuffie and Reeve walked in behind Vincent, who didn't seem surprised at all although he was quite startled on the inside.  
  
"And who the hell are you guys?" asked Elena, her eyes only falling on Oren before.  
  
"Holy crap!" Elena stood up quickly, as did Rude as soon as they caught sight of Yuffie and Barret, who had similar reactions to them.  
  
"And Reeve!" said Reno.  
  
"You were a fellow Shinra employee. I would have expected better!"  
  
"I moved on to better things, Reno. Like saving this planet."  
  
"Pah! Whatever, man." Reno decided not to draw his weapon.  
  
"How about you explain your business here with Mr. Vincent, hmm?"  
  
"Actually" Barret said with hostility in his voice.  
  
"We didn't even really know he was here. Oren brought us."  
  
Vincent turned to face him.  
  
"Vincent and the Turks" said Oren. "Two birds with one stone. I need you all to come with me"  
  
"What?" Reno seemed skeptical.  
  
"Sorry, no time for explanation. I'll have to take you by force."  
  
***  
  
Cid was plunging the ship back towards the ground at full force.  
  
"HIGHWIND! What are you doing to my plane!"  
  
Cid the Al Bhed yelled.  
  
"Shit, I don't know how to land these things!" Cid Highwind yelled back.  
  
"We can't crash!" Tidus yelled.  
  
"Cid, do something!" Tifa yelled in support to the middle-aged pilot.  
  
"I can't, we're gonna crash!"  
  
***  
  
Suddenly Oren and the group appeared in the field where the airship was about to land, the Turks and Vincent looking confused.  
  
"What did you do?" Vincent didn't seem to direct the question like it always seemed when he talked.  
  
"I teleported us--"  
  
"Why should we listen to you!? What have you done for us? Get us back, I demand it!" Reno yelled at the top of his lungs.  
  
Suddenly in the sky, an airship plunged down towards the ground.  
  
"Darn it!"  
  
Oren ran towards the spot where the figure was rapidly descending, and flew. Yes, he actually jumped so high he seemed to fly. 300 feet in the air he seemed to collide and then grabbed the ship by the nose, and began to slow it down. It looked funny, seeing something so small compared to the airship holding it back.  
  
"What in Marcus is going on here?!" asked Reno, unimaginably confused.  
  
Oren held the airship for a second, and then set it nicely on the ground, breathing hard.  
  
***  
  
"I'm a pretty damn good pilot!" said Cid.  
  
No one said anything, as they were all breathing hard with the memory of the close call fresh in their minds.  
  
***  
  
"Everyone, follow me!" no one was eager to defy someone who stopped a giant mass with his bare hands, most of them still awed by the display. They all followed Oren up the landing dock that had fallen open, and ran up inside.  
  
Reeve, Yuffie, Marlene, Barret, and Vincent made a big discovery when they saw Cloud, Tifa, and Red sitting in the back area, with Cid in the front.  
  
"He was right! Wassup man!?" Barret and the others ran to rejoin the friends that they hadn't seen in such a long time, while Tidus and his party looked on in wonder, very confused.  
  
No one had even seen the Turks, however.  
  
Cloud looked up, and saw the unknown guy that was Oren, and the Turks.  
  
"What in the---"  
  
"I'll explain in just a few minutes" Oren cut him off. "Now that I finally have you all, I will unite you for good"  
  
With a flash everyone on the bridge of the ship disappeared.  
  
***  
  
"He should be here in. . . " Jessica counted off the seconds of the arrival of the new recruits and Oren. Everyone looked on in anticipation at finally meeting the ones they had wanted to notice for hours.  
  
"Three. . . two. . . one. . . "  
  
SWEEEP!  
  
Tidus, Yuna, Lulu, Rikku, Brother, Kimahri, Wakka, Cid the Al Bhed, Cid Highwind, Yuffie, Barret, Reeve, Marlene, Cloud, Red, Cid, Tifa, Vincent, Rude, Reno, and Elena all landed out of nowhere in a heap around Jessica with Oren on top.  
  
"That was quite a ride through the universe, but finally! The gang is all here!" Oren shouted in victory.  
  
***  
  
The twins Delta and Epsilon laughed as they spied on their targets through the windows of the grand castle in an unknown location.  
  
"How stupid--" Delta started.  
  
"--can they get?" Epsilon finished.  
  
"These guys--"  
  
"--are pathetic"  
  
"Gamma may be in recovery, Alpha and Beta, may want revenge--"  
  
"--bet we'll have to take care of them. I can't believe Pyros sent us up against this trash. I say that we just dispose of them, already"  
  
"Especially now that they are all together" Epsilon continued.  
  
"I don't think it will be--"  
  
"--too hard"  
  
Epsilon finished for Delta. With that, the two charged for the window to eliminate each and every one of the foes.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: There be another chapter. Oh, and by the way.REVIEW MY FICS OTHER THAN THAT ONE NICE REVIEWER ALREADY! I NEED MORE REVIEWS!. (But thanks to that one author that's been reviewing, though!) 


	6. Chapter 6: Zeta

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Six: Zeta  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
They took on five at once!? I can't believe it! Zeta will finish them, though.  
  
The situation was pretty awkward. Everyone struggled out of the pile with questioning looks and glances around at unfamiliar faces.  
  
"DON'T ANYONE SAY ANYTHING! LET US ALL BECOME ORGANIZED AND PROPERLY INTRODUCED!" Oren yelled in a booming voice. No one spoke and all attention was fixed on the "Dictator"  
  
"I am afraid you will have no time for that"  
  
Dozens of heads turned simultaneously and looked at the dark wall, the source of the noise. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma reappeared from the spot.  
  
"Remember us, Oren? Gamma's all better. Alpha recovered from his minor looks incident. And not even all of you can take on three of us."  
  
"Where going to whip you all!" Gamma said in an unusually cheery voice.  
  
"I want revenge on the spiky one and friends" Alpha said, causing Cloud to tense up at the mention of his name.  
  
A burst echoed from a break behind the three. Two men in the exact same outfits with the exact same black hair and sunglasses dropped down.  
  
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma turned to see. . .  
  
"Hello there--"  
  
"--fools" Delta finished for Epsilon.  
  
"Delta, Epsilon, this is our job, get out of here!" Gamma yelled in childish worry.  
  
"Pyros will be angry. Lets just--"  
  
"--all finish them off" this time Epsilon finished for Delta.  
  
"Fine" Alpha spoke for the three.  
  
Alpha suddenly jumped to the exit of the room. Beta jumped to the main entrance. Gamma jumped next to the left of the large eastern corridor to the east wing, Delta on the opposite side of the corridor entrance, and Epsilon to the large entrance of the western wing.  
  
The jumps were extremely long, high and fast, and those that had not seen them in action before felt their jaws drop.  
  
"Everyone! Pull out whatever weapon you have! Those weaponless fall back behind your allies. Cloud and friends, you and the Turks block off Alpha. Tidus, I know this is new to you, but have Yuna support the party with white magic. Focus on Delta. Squall, you and your allies fight Beta. Zidane, take your close allies and get Gamma. Seifer, this may be hard, but fight with Squall and the others. Epsilon is extremely powerful. Jessica and I will fight him, and when you all have killed or seriously injured a target, assist the group most in need, which will probably be us. Fight, show no mercy, do not kill unless necessary, and finally, good luck!"  
  
The most disturbing thing about this was that instead of attempting to attack the party and delay organization, Pyros' warriors watched and smiled as if purposely giving them a small advantage.  
  
***  
  
No one really asked any questions. They heard Oren's orders, were hesitant to follow them, but Cloud withdrew his sword and charged towards Alpha who he knew was an enemy. The others withdrew weapons and followed, save Barret.  
  
"Marlene, stay under that table, okay?"  
  
The frightened girl nodded her head and immediately complied. Hiding under the large mahogany table.  
  
Reno looked at Rude and Elena, analyzing the situation over his dark glasses.  
  
"Well fellow Turks, it seems we have found ourselves in a situation that not only seems strange, suspicious, and sudden, but also involved with the aid of Cloud and his fellow bumpkins, not to mention the fact that we have no reason to fight. Do we help?"  
  
Both Elena and Rude shook their heads, showing their views taken directly from the standpoint of the leader himself.  
  
"Besides" added Elena. "What reason do we have to--"  
  
A large rock rumbled from the stone ceiling and sent a chunk into the middle of the group, which they promptly jumped and dodged.  
  
"Holy!" The stone could have easily crushed the three.  
  
"You awake over there?" Alpha yelled blowing his smoldering hands.  
  
"On second thought, lets show them some Turk pride."  
  
Reno withdrew his gun, while Reno his nightstick, and Elena put another firearm in her left hand, but left the right for support casting. They fell in behind the charging group of Cloud and his allies.  
  
"Hey who told you to come?" asked Yuffie, looking back.  
  
"Stuff it, ninja" Reno wasn't in the mood for questioning, and Yuffie didn't seem to be in the mood for witty response.  
  
Reeve fumbled around in his coat for his special 9mm SOCOM, just in case the IRS got a little carried away.  
  
The crowed of fighters stopped and assembled, while Alpha just waited for them, smiling his ever-cocky smile. Cloud, Reno, Yuffie, Cid, Red, and Tifa all assembled around him approximately twenty feet away. Behind them for supporting projectile fire came Elena, Rude, Vincent, Barret, and Reeve.  
  
Alpha gave a bored yawn.  
  
"If you losers are ready, I would like to--" He materialized a blade of red. "--start killing you off one by one"  
  
With that Cloud and Cid charged in first, weapons held high. With a mighty slash, he sliced the air and somehow pushed them back.  
  
"That might have come relatively close. . . if I were dead"  
  
Everyone with a firearm shot rounds at the warrior, who did something amazing. Afterimages and swivels of him appeared and disappeared as he dodged each and every bullet.  
  
"Quit dodgin' ya coward!" Barret yelled.  
  
Alpha swiveled out of the way and stopped dodging. The bullets bounced off of him, making sparks. Everyone stopped to reload. Tifa jumped up behind him and began pummeling from the back, sending Alpha straight to the floor. Yuffie aimed a sherukin at his head and it embedded itself there, leaving bloodstains of purple streaming everywhere.  
  
"Purple blood?" Tifa asked.  
  
The firearms team shot more rounds to be on the safe side.  
  
The team was hopeful for the enemy to stay down when he started twitching.  
  
"What the hell?" Cid asked, the cigar falling from his mouth.  
  
Alpha jumped up and removed the sherukin, the blood seeming to disappear.  
  
"A little illusion I created. I wanted to make you think you were winning. . . "  
  
Alpha turned towards Cloud.  
  
"How about I chop you off, first?"  
  
"Shut up!" Cloud readied his sword and charged back. This foe wasn't invincible. Everyone, summon anything and everything!  
  
Everyone, including the Turks, dropped their weapons and concentrated. With a flash, they all disappeared. Bahamut, Bahamut Neo, Bahamut Zero, Shiva, Ifrit, Ramuh, Leviathan, the Chocobo and his friend the Mog, Odin, quite a few other summons, and everyone's favorite royal knights took their place. With a massive shock, they all spewed forward and attacked, almost destroying the very air around them with the violent wave that blew chunks clear out of the castle and destroyed many things within a hundred feet. The fighters around that were preoccupied temporarily glanced in amazement.  
  
Everyone reappeared.  
  
"It seems we may have a minor victory"  
  
Vincent pointed to the severely injured Alpha, on the ground, burnt, and bruised.  
  
"D-damn you! I can still--" he fell to the ground when he tried to get back up. "Ouch. . . " he lapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
"We did it!" Cloud exclaimed briefly.  
  
***  
  
Squall wasn't having much luck with Beta, none at all. Fortunately he had the aid of his friends to keep him on his toes. He had narrowly dodged a Firaga spell, and didn't seem as strong as he had been before, probably due to some lingering pain or injury.  
  
Zell hesitated to use his ultimate move, the terrain and size of Gaia was different than his own planet, therefore he had no way of knowing if he would over calculate or even under calculate his movement.  
  
"Mach kick!" he tried to do his fastest move, which Beta dodged narrowly with a thrust of his abdomen.  
  
"You call that a mach kick? This is a mach kick!"  
  
Zell's reflexes reacted just in time for the warrior who wasn't on his toes to get the side of Zell's shoulders, which sent him flying back almost right into Selphie and Rinoa, who were hanging back and casting spells.  
  
Rinoa, Selphie, and Irvine stood at medium range, casting offensive and defensive spells, Irvine with supporting fire that was somehow dodged by a lighting fast opponent, Quistis a little closer attempting to get behind the opponent, while Squall and Zell would attack him head on, which was a strategy that was slowly starting to fail.  
  
Squall and Zell moved forward quickly, careful not to slip on the marble floor. Beta turned to face them, a fatal mistake. Quistis cracked the end of her whip on his back, which had no effect. The importance, though, was that seemingly out of nowhere Seifer came with his Hyperion ablaze, slashing downwards.  
  
"Woah!" the assaulted clutched his back. To the horror of the fighters, his clothes were not even torn. However, he clutched his chest and began panting.  
  
"You. . . are only lucky that I was slightly injured by your friend. If he hadn't have gotten me back there, you would all be. . . dead"  
  
The others stopped the assault.  
  
"It doesn't look like you can even stand" Irvine prepared to put his Exeter back in the holster.  
  
Beta went down to his knees.  
  
"Just give me a second. . . " a blaze shown in his eyes as he began to power up.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Squall put his gunblade back into position.  
  
"NO!" the bearer of Lion Heart charged in a desperate attempt to stop Beta from doing what he hoped he wouldn't. He was trying to blow them all away. Unfortunately, the distance was too great and he didn't seem to have much power left.  
  
SHHHHINNK  
  
There was a metallic sound as Cloud descended from an unknown position, cleaving his sword into the head of the opponent.  
  
"Ahh! Darn it!" Although the blow didn't even come close to killing him, it knocked the already weakened man into the ground unconscious, shattering the floor around him.  
  
Squall looked up in gratitude.  
  
"Thank you. . . "  
  
"Cloud. And you are?"  
  
"Squall. And Irvine, Rinoa, Zell, Quistis, Selphie, and.Seifer"  
  
"I see. I'd introduce my allies, but they're a little busy at the moment"  
  
Cloud was referring to the fact that his allies were rushing to aid Zidane and his team against the much healthier Gamma, who seemed to be having the time of her life.  
  
Zell looked at Cloud.  
  
"You look kind of like that guy from Final Fantasy VII. Clay Stripe."  
  
"Clay Stripe?" Cloud loosened the grip on the Ultima Weapon and gave Zell a questioning glance.  
  
"Don't mind him, he has no sense of reality" Squall commented.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Do you have any idea what's happening?" Quistis shifted the direction of the conversation.  
  
"Not a clue. Do you think he needs help?" Cloud pointed upwards to Oren and Jessica, who were engaged with Zeta, who was beating them up pretty badly.  
  
"Ahh!" Everyone except Cloud gave out a yelp. They were engaged in an aerial battle and seemed to be smashed into the ceiling over and over again.  
  
"They can fly?" asked Selphie.  
  
"I noticed that too. We can't help him from down here" Cloud said.  
  
"And bullets don't help" the cowboy.  
  
"We could help you friends"  
  
It was when Seifer made that comment that everyone save Cloud and Squall were reminded of his presence.  
  
"Wait a minute!" yelled Zell. "What the hell's he doin' here?"  
  
"He should be in jail" said Quistis.  
  
"Or dead" Selphie added.  
  
"Or in hell" Irvine made a comment.  
  
"Or-" Zell prepared to start the cycle over.  
  
"I aid you in battle with no complaints, and the first comment I get is 'get out of here Seifer'? I thought that it didn't matter since we were all fighting for our lives."  
  
"Funny you should say that. You don't care about anyone but yourself" said Zell.  
  
Jessica was smashed by Zeta into the ground in the middle of the group, breaking the marble considerably.  
  
"Jessica!" Seifer ran to her and crouched by her side.  
  
"Are you okay? Speak!"  
  
She was motionless for a second, but then started moving. Seifer thought she was fine until he saw the side of her face covered with purple blood.  
  
"Purple blood?"  
  
"It's Zatach blood. I'll be fine. Just let me--ouch!"  
  
She fell back to the ground when she tried to stand back up.  
  
"You shouldn't move"  
  
"Seifer, I need rest, I can't fight. I'll give you the ability to fly just for a while, but it won't last"  
  
"Fly? How?"  
  
"Just think it when I give it to you. . . never mind, I already did"  
  
"I can fly?"  
  
"Yes, just--" she suddenly fell back and didn't come back up.  
  
"Jessica? Dammit"  
  
Seifer felt his feet wobble and noticed he was hovering, while the others looked at him wide eyed.  
  
***  
  
The tiles of the poor king's beautiful hall ripped apart in parallel streaks and flamed up towards Gamma, who simply stepped in between and looked horribly bored.  
  
This isn't working! I could use Grand Lethal a million times and she'd just keep moving out of the way!  
  
"You know, this isn't any fun. I expected to have a workout; you couldn't hurt me if I was asleep. And you're friend's coming down right about. . . "  
  
She sidestepped Freya's jump attack, and then put up a hand to deflect Steiner and Beatrix's combined Shock.  
  
"You see what I mean? I wanted to have fun. . . "  
  
She flipped over Amarant's explosive shell.  
  
"But instead. . . "  
  
She stepped seemingly through Eiko and Dagger's combined Holy spell.  
  
"I'm stuck with you rejects. . . "  
  
"Me getting tired" Quina miserably failed her last attempt to eat the opponent and the Qu fell on his/her back in immense fatigue.  
  
"Ultima!" The little mage finally reeled out his Ultima spell, which surrounded the unsuspecting Gamma in a wide ray of black light, which spewed plumes of darkness that consumed her and thrashed until the spell subsided. When it was over she looked like she had been through a hurricane.  
  
"Good going, Vivi!" Zidane gave Vivi a weak thumbs up sign, who had been the only one to land a blow.  
  
"That's it! Forget this! No more play, I'm killing you all now!"  
  
She glowed a bright color that deeply reminded Zidane of Necron's Grand Cross.  
  
"Scatter!"  
  
It was too late. Light scattered and Zidane and his allies went flying in all directions. When the fireworks ended, everyone within the area was sprawled on their backs or stomachs, struggling to stand. Once again, Zidane stood alone.  
  
"You" Gamma walked cockily to Zidane and grabbed his neck lightly at first, and then increased the pressure.  
  
"I don't like you. I'm tired of seeing you alive"  
  
Zidane would have said Screw you if he could breath.  
  
THHWWAACK!  
  
A sherukin hit her in the back of the head and she let go of the Terran's neck just enough for him to bite.  
  
"Ahhh!" she dropped him abruptly.  
  
"What are you doin' over there?" Barret pointed an accusing gun-arm at Gamma.  
  
"What am I doing? That beast bit me!"  
  
She was answered with rounds from Vincent, Rude, Reeve, Barret, and Elena that she had to dance to dodge.  
  
"Damn you all to hell!"  
  
"I think I like you guys!" Zidane pointed his Ultima Weapon at the new arrivals.  
  
Elena cast helpful Curagas on the downed fighters, helping the party greatly.  
  
"Hey, we can talk about this right? I'm strong, but I don't think I can take all of you at once!"  
  
"Gamma! You're shoe's untied!" Zidane yelled.  
  
"What!" she kneeled to tie them to discover she had no shoelaces, and looked up to see the smirking Zidane with his weapon held high.  
  
"Nighty night!"  
  
SLAM!  
  
The much weaker warrior fell in a daze.  
  
"She's not that tough! All I had to do was get a good hit on her and."  
  
Most people were giving Zidane dirty looks.  
  
"How cheap" said Yuffie, recovering her thrown sherukin.  
  
Reno raised an eyebrow as if to say: 'you should talk'  
  
***  
  
Delta didn't play. Delta showed no mercy. Delta was much stronger.  
  
"Die"  
  
He engulfed the party in a black light. Tidus felt the air slammed out of his lungs as he went down with the rest of his friends.  
  
Yuna wished she could still summon.  
  
"Why did we get the tough one?" Tidus would have said if he could stand.  
  
Delta looked as if he were going to attack again, and then the Onion Knight, the Caladbolg, the Spirit Lance, Godhand, Nirvana, and the World Champion all left the hands of their respective owners and floated above the ground.  
  
"How well can you fist fight?"  
  
Tidus felt himself go back to his feet and charge blindly, and for some reason Delta allowed him to advance. When he punched, he knew he had made a fatal mistake.  
  
"Ahh!" he felt as if he had been punching a machina cannon. He might have even broken his hand just by punching this guy.  
  
"What are you made of?"  
  
"None of your concern. You won't live long enough for the information to be of any use."  
  
Wakka repeated the mistake and tried to shove an elbow into him from behind, but met the same fate as his friend.  
  
"You all are pretty boring. How about I.yes! You'll love this"  
  
Yuna floated off of the floor and into the hands of Delta, who clutched his hands around her throat.  
  
She struggled to take his hand off, but to no avail.  
  
"No!" Tidus ran forward, but some sort of invisible wall blocked him.  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"Because of all you took from us, Tidus and friends. Feel my pain. Try to save your girl or she will die"  
  
"Let her go!"  
  
He responded by tightening his grip until Yuna focused more on escaping his grip than trying to pry off his hand.  
  
Her guardian's were powerless to stop him.  
  
"Are you going to save her? Are you going to let her die?"  
  
"Quiet!" Tidus rammed himself over and over, crushing himself on the force field.  
  
"The clock is ticking, Tidus" his grip became tighter until Yuna's face became red, and then blue.  
  
"Well.?"  
  
"Darn it!" he rammed himself into the wall over and over, but to no avail. Was this how it was to end? With the one he loved most dead? Was he to follow? They had just been united! It couldn't end like this!  
  
Delta dropped her and she was motionless on the ground.  
  
"Now she's dead, and its all your fault"  
  
"Ultima!" Kuja burst in through the window and flew in his trance-like state, red fur glowing, his tail standing on end. The blackness enveloped him and he fell on his back.  
  
"Who the.?"  
  
"Quiet! Flare Star!" This time Kuja's move was dodged.  
  
"She's not dead, my friend. This nobody was lying to make you suffer. He would have killed you first."  
  
Lulu's weapon clattered to the ground after Delta wad fallen, and she grabbed it and began to aid Kuja in his Ultima spells.  
  
Tidus, with newfound energy took his Caladbolg that had clattered to the ground and ran at full force.  
  
"Blitz Ace!" he let out and amazing sword combo, and a final blow to the head that had impressed even the opponent.  
  
"That didn't --" Delta looked at his arm that was bleeding and hanging limply. "But how!? You can't be that strong!"  
  
"Don't mess with my emotions!" Tidus stabbed Delta through the chest.  
  
"You CAN'T be that strong? What have I triggered?"  
  
He amazingly pulled himself forward and further impaled himself on Tidus's sword just to get close, and then slammed him to the ground. He removed the sword from his body and dropped it.  
  
"Watch it--"  
  
Lulu cast a Flare spell that hit him directly, the unearthly flames flaring up and consuming him temporarily from under.  
  
"Darn it! Will you stop that? You can't--"  
  
Wakka release Auroch's Reels on the man that never got a chance to speak.  
  
"I've been silent too long. Don't mess wid Yuna!" Wakka landed smoothly back on the ground.  
  
"You won't get far. I'm not hurt that badly" Delta smiled a cocky smile.  
  
"Lion Heart!" Squall landed and large combo with equal power to Tidus' but not as much acrobatic skill involved. Squall only needed the strength of his Lion Heart.  
  
"No way.I'm the strongest" Delta fell to the ground and didn't get up.  
  
"And stay down!" Tidus flipped his sword and slashed it to the right.  
  
"Nice combo. I'm Tidus" Tidus held out his hand to Squall.  
  
"Yours wasn't bad either. I'm Squall. Squall Leonhart." Squall offered his hand after slashing to the left, right, then balancing his blade on his shoulder.  
  
***  
  
Oren looked at Seifer and gave him a nod. The two had pinned down Epsilon in an aerial dogfight.  
  
"How about the finishing touch?"  
  
Seifer charged up his gunblade for Fire Cross, Epsilon was almost out. Oren materialized a blade of blue attached to his hand.  
  
"This is the Altron, Epsilon. You've seen it before. I will crush you with it."  
  
". . . Your friends are good. The got Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. But you're not getting me!"  
  
A figure crashed through the top of the ceiling and landed, so to speak, in the air next to the weak Epsilon, whose golden hair cascaded to the ground, also so to speak.  
  
He stocked the locks once.  
  
"Crap!"  
  
"I see you're glad to see me, Oren. You know me." He threw Seifer a poisonous look. "You and Seifer here are done like dinner. Equally screwed. You might have had more of a chance if your girlfriend wasn't so weak."  
  
"Cram it!" Seifer and Oren yelled in unison.  
  
Oren gave Seifer a weird look.  
  
"I think he meant me"  
  
"Uh. . . yeah. I knew that. I was just, um, testing you!" Seifer was acting very un-Seifer like due to the awkwardness of the situation the new arrival had presented.  
  
"For those who don't know, Seifer, I am Zeta"  
  
"How does he know my name?"  
  
"You don't want to know"  
  
"Seeing you alive makes me sick!" Zeta yelled, helping Epsilon up in mid- air.  
  
He's dressed like that Epsilon guy. Seifer noticed silently.  
  
"Hey, Jessica is kind of cute though. Maybe I'll have some fun with her when I kill you. Oops! Did I say that aloud?" Zeta said in a voice that made it clear he had intended to speak out.  
  
"Zeta, you're really pushing it."  
  
"I don't think you're in any position to be making threats. Seeing you alive makes me sick"  
  
"I already know, Zeta"  
  
"I was talking to Seifer"  
  
"Huh?" Seifer looked dumbfounded. "You seem to really have something against us personally. Tell us why already!"  
  
"I'm not even going to answer that, scum. Now that's enough talk for now. I hope you enjoyed your last conversation, Oren. There is nowhere to run, and you have weaklings helping you. I will finally avenge Omega!"  
  
Zeta withdrew his blade.  
  
"Seifer, get behind him! I will keep him occupied!"  
  
Oren and Zeta clashed blades.  
  
"Get them, Zeta" Epsilon passed out and fell to the ground.  
  
"Oh, you're strength isn't as high as it used to be. That fake power you inherited from Omega when you killed him is deteriorating" Zeta said, his face inches away from Oren as they held their blades together.  
  
"I didn't kill Omega! I wish he were here to vouch for me!"  
  
"Fool. If he could be here then you wouldn't need him to vouch for anything."  
  
They withdrew and went into a dance of parrying, blocking, striking and thrusting. Oren seemed to have the advantage. He looked like he could go on forever, and Zeta was beginning to sweat. Seifer couldn't get behind Zeta because he wouldn't keep his back in the same direction long enough.  
  
I wish he hadn't given me those directions out loud. Seifer thought to himself. He felt himself wobbling. Jessica was regaining consciousness.  
  
"Then how else did you get his power, Oren? How else? Killing someone is the only way."  
  
"Why would I kill him?"  
  
"I just mentioned it. To get his power."  
  
"Listen, I would have no reason to handle that power if it would deteriorate."  
  
"Quiet. You know you planned on killing Pyros and us. Even after the loss of our beautiful planet, your thoughts were only evil"  
  
"I'm tired of talking to you! There's no reasoning with you pig heads!" In his rage, Oren made a sloppy move, giving Zeta just enough opening to slam him to the ground.  
  
"Damn it. . . " Oren felt like he couldn't get up.  
  
"That's your weakness, isn't it. You should have known I was talking to get you to do that." Zeta held his sword high preparing to kill his prey. "Talking is my strength!"  
  
Before he could release the blade, Seifer slammed the titan in the back with his gunblade, and he went down.  
  
"It's your weakness too, Zeta-boy"  
  
"You da man, Seifer"  
  
Seifer helped Oren to his feet.  
  
"Ahh!" Jessica regained consciousness below, and Seifer began to fall. Oren caught him, and lowered him to the ground.  
  
"There. I returned the favor."  
  
The tired fighters limped, walked, ran, stumbled, skipped, were carried, and hobbled over to Oren's position in the middle.  
  
Oren waved his hands and brought the fallen warriors in a bubble.  
  
"They won't be able to fight for months. We're a quarter of the way to winning this battle. Good job"  
  
Zeta couldn't move, but the bearer of the Altron knew he was conscious.  
  
"Zeta! Tell Pyros that Oren's force did this to you and your friends. Tell him we will not be easily defeated, that we will win!" A blue portal appeared and the fallen bodies were swallowed and taken back to wherever they came from.  
  
"Great job!" Oren yelled for all to hear. "You defeated the first six, but they are not the strongest. We have to introduce each other, revive some friends, and get more aid. Now, before we were so rudely interrupted, let me provide you all with an explanation.  
  
The words following the congratulations were among the most shocking the fighters had ever heard. They were in for quite a thrill.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: I know! I know! I suck. Sorry about that long wait. My knee hurts like crazy. Even though that doesn't affect my typing, I just got lazy. I will be more frequent than this, I promise. Thank you for staying with me, readers. One more thing, I recently remembered to allow anonymous reviews, so bring them in if you're an author who couldn't. Thanks to BlooodyVixen for pointing that out. 


	7. Chapter 7: Eta

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Seven: Eta  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
.Now I'm mad. They injured five of them, and Zeta? If Eta fails, I'm going to quit.  
  
"Gather everyone! Gather! How exciting! We won! No losses! So much ahead of us!" Oren started jumping around and cheering as if he was ten years younger. The many people gathered came to the center, half expecting and explanation.  
  
"We are about to make a big leap. Jessica, prepare us for the big leap into Esthar Garden"  
  
"Esthar Garden!?" Squall's group, with a 'what' from Seifer all said at once.  
  
"I'll explain later. But first. . . Tidus, Cloud, take your guys to the left conference area, or what's left of it." Oren realized that the Turks, particularly Reno, did not enjoy being referred to as 'Cloud's guys'  
  
"And the Turks" they hesitantly complied and followed suit. The crowd heading to the conference area was murmuring with feelings of happiness, uneasiness, and of course imminent doubt. Tidus carried Yuna with him, as he had done in a time that was only a few hours ago but seemed like half a day.  
  
Oren followed the crowd he had summoned, the other half of the fighters that had no idea what was going on. Everyone took various positions around the slightly damaged imperial council room.  
  
***  
  
Zidane sighed in dismay at his wrecked castle. People were in clusters conversing about the past events. Zidane looked to his right, to see his queen's face an awful white, her eyes wide in shock. The king followed her gaze and saw something that made his heart leap with shock. There stood Squall, talking to Kuja the Terran. The person he thought was far away, and was deeply upsetting his wife.  
  
He moved swiftly over to the two, causing Squall to look at him.  
  
"Is something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Kuja? Kuja the Terran? How ya doin'!" He disregarded all of his training to act like royalty and talked to his former enemy as if he was an old friend.  
  
"Zidane. . . I am glad to see you are doing well. And stronger than me, too"  
  
"You think so? So how did you get here?"  
  
"Wait, you guys know each other? Tell me a little about it"  
  
Zidane looked at Kuja, waiting for his okay to explain his dark past.  
  
"You see, Zidane and I are Terrans from the extinct planet Terra. Zidane came here because I dropped him, but I came on an assignment to ferment enough souls to make it possible for assimilation"  
  
"Ferment? Assimilation?"  
  
"Terra survives by absorbing other planets, but it cannot unless the planet is weak. To do that I had to kill many people, with methods such as starting wars and causing sadness."  
  
"So that's what you did?"  
  
"I killed people. I made instruments of war. I filled the leaders' heads with junk to make them fight. I alone almost wiped out the population of Gaia. What I have done cannot be forgiven, and I hope to rectify a small fraction of it by trying to help keep this world and others alive. I saw your Balamb Garden, and kindly students let me in. Later I sensed a brawl here, so I came to provide aid."  
  
"I see. Well you can be forgiven if you're willing to. . . "  
  
"What's the matter?" Kuja now questioned Squall.  
  
"My friends and I were hostile to Seifer. He had a bit of a past like you. It was unfair, the way I was to him. I can forgive you who have done more for a longer time, but because I don't know you that well your actions didn't affect me directly. But, Seifer's did; yet I should still give him a chance to right his wrongs. He seems willing. And deserves another chance"  
  
Zidane nodded his head.  
  
"I guess we do have a little in common, Squall. Look, we probably got off to a bad start, but I'm willing to start over" Zidane held out his hand. Squall took it, and they shook.  
  
It was then that he realized Dagger was still staring in shock not moving at all. He ran over to his wife.  
  
"What were you doing? Have you forgotten?"  
  
"No, Dagger. I rescued him remember? Did you expect him to just disappear?"  
  
"Don't talk to me like that! Don't shrug me off as if I hadn't been suffering from just the thought, not to mention the new revelation, that his heart is still beating!"  
  
Zidane was quite surprised, for he had never seen such anger on her face directed at him, and it was especially strange seeing she was acting 'out of code' in her queen's garments.  
  
"I'm sorry. Listen, I'm not asking anything of you other than tolerating his presence for a while. He might be a real help to us. If by the time whatever this is over, and you still feel the same way, then he can leave. Is that alright?"  
  
"Only because I love you, Zidane, and the fact that I know I will still feel the same way"  
  
"Good enough. How about we change you into more comfortable clothes? I don't think the work we'll be doing will require this. . . "  
  
Zidane looked down at his rumpled and slightly torn imperial king's garments, which had actually been the first pair created seeing as he was the first king.  
  
"Alright"  
  
The two headed up the stairs lined with the red carpet into the royal quarters, which was still mostly intact.  
  
"Can you believe this? That he's still here?"  
  
Zell addressed Selphie, Quistis, Rinoa, and Irvine in anger.  
  
"After all that he just walks back in? He should be in custody! Lets get him outta here!"  
  
Quistis looked as if she wanted to tell Zell to calm down, but couldn't disagree with him.  
  
"I think so too. The garden is still around. Squall contacted them and told them we would be back soon. Could we possibly just bring him into custody here?"  
  
"I think so. He needs to be for disgracing the name of Galbadia Garden" Irvine apparently still cared about his old home.  
  
The four walked over to the side of the room where Seifer was ready to fight if necessary. Rinoa paused for a moment, and then hesitantly followed.  
  
I can't be too mad, or can I? He didn't do anything that wasn't corrected. Could he deserve another chance? No. He almost killed me, he has this coming too him.  
  
Seifer had been leaning against the wall looking down as if in deep thought, when he noticed he was surrounded. The subtle and quiet attitude he had been holding subsided, as he felt he needed to return to his cocky, arrogant, Seifer-like ways.  
  
"Oh, hello there. I wish we could have met under nicer circumstances, but now here we are to talk. So old buddies, how has it been?" Seifer said the words with the exact tone Quistis had pictured. Speaking as if they were old friends, as if he wasn't guilty, as if he wasn't currently surrounded.  
  
"Seifer Almasy, you are now under custody of Balamb Garden" she said with not a hint of emotion.  
  
"Oh really? Oh really? Is that so? Well you're going to have to kill me. Or better yet, I'd sooner kill myself in the hands of garden than live and face up to whatever stupid punishment you have saved up."  
  
With new spark to the flame, Zell immediately rushed Seifer with a knockout punch.  
  
Seifer stepped into it, and withdrew his Hyperion for a counterstrike. Before a blow could be landed, however. . .  
  
"Cut it out!" Jessica had observed this and appeared seemingly out of nowhere.  
  
"I know you probably have your differences, but I honestly don't care. I was dragged light-years for five years practically against my will, but certainly not to see you all destroy each other after all of the time we spent summoning you. Whatever nasty plan you have in store will have to wait"  
  
Irvine opened his mouth, and then remembered she was a girl and closed it.  
  
"You don't know what he has done. You may have a soft spot for him, but he is dangerous and a threat to us all. We have no reason to listen to you"  
  
"Quistis, stop" Squall appeared on the scene.  
  
"Listen to her. Leave Seifer alone for the time being. We don't have the time to deal with him, and I honestly don't think he needs to be dealt with"  
  
"Listen to your commander" Seifer said with fake authority.  
  
"Shut up!" Zell was further angered by the fact that he was now forbidden to kill that imp.  
  
The group backed off, throwing poisonous looks at him, and then retreated. Rinoa remained, sighed, and followed her friends.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Leonhart" Jessica relaxed and went back to an unknown location.  
  
"But seriously, thanks man" Seifer regained his strange mood as if to turn down his attitude level when his accusers left.  
  
"Think nothing of it." Squall turned to rejoin his comrades, when he felt a gloved hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Squall, do you want to duel again? Gunblades only?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"What?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Oh yeah. Don't worry, no illegal magic spells, no severe injury, yatta yatta."  
  
"Fine. But lets wait till we're sure we don't have anything else to do"  
  
"I can deal with that"  
  
Squall continued his retreat, leaving in Seifer's mind something to look forward to.  
  
***  
  
"Okay"  
  
Oren looked around at the large group of people.  
  
"My name is Oren Murasaki. You may have heard of me before, I am here to explain."  
  
He then explained to them the situation and everything that they needed to know.  
  
"Any questions?"  
  
Reno raised his hand.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"From what I saw, you could have gotten beaten easily. And if they had to work like that to beat a wimp like you, then why should I believe that your little group of warriors is strong enough to be taken lightly?"  
  
"Wimp, huh?"  
  
He materialized the Altron blade and did something that made everyone jump. He stabbed himself completely through the stomach and pulled it out of the other side.  
  
He then closed his eyes, closing up the wound, the purple blood disappearing.  
  
Marlene looked as if she were about to cry, as Reno's face turned a lovely shade of green.  
  
"Good. And Tidus, you wouldn't happen to know Yuna's blood type, would you?"  
  
"O, why?"  
  
With a tiny shock of blue Yuna jumped suddenly from her temporary station slumped against the wall.  
  
"Where is he? I want to fight!"  
  
"Show's over, lady" both Cid Highwind and Cid the Al Bhed said at the same time. The looked at each other and gave thumbs up signs.  
  
"That's enough of that. All right everyone. We're almost ready to go back to Squall's planet."  
  
Oren was met with a chorus of "Who's Squall?"'s and "Squall?"'s and other miscellaneous questioning.  
  
"Oh yeah. One more thing. Each and every one of you is going to have to introduce yourself, give a little information, maybe a joke here and there. Try to be friends, okay? The more you like each other, the better you fight."  
  
Oren left, and the group followed him out into the open hall.  
  
***  
  
"Pyros, Alpha through Zeta were, how can I put this, whooped."  
  
"What? Unbelievable. But keep in mind your stronger than all six combined"  
  
"I know sir. Do you want me to eliminate them?"  
  
"No. Give them a while longer. Let them try and regroup so when you beat them you can show the world how helpless they are."  
  
Eta shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't like killing people.  
  
***  
  
Zidane came down in his favorite outfit, the one he never thought he would get to wear again. Dagger followed through with her original tight orange bodysuit with the white sleeves, perfect for travel. When they came back, they were shocked to see everyone in their respective positions around the castle hall.  
  
"Zidane, take your place"  
  
At first, Zidane didn't know what Oren meant by 'his place', but soon noticed that his comrades were standing by the door. He joined them.  
  
"Good. Everyone, introduce yourselves. Cloud, Squall, Zidane, Tidus, in that order with whoever backs them following it up"  
  
Cloud stepped forward.  
  
"My name is Cloud Strife. I'm twenty-one years old and a swordsman"  
  
The others were hesitant at first, but followed.  
  
"Tifa Lockheart. I'm twenty and a martial artist"  
  
Zell perked up at this statement, thought of a challenge in his mind.  
  
"Barret Wallace, and this is Marlene. My age is none of your da--" he remembered his manners in front of Marlene.  
  
"He's thirty five!" Reno yelled from the back.  
  
"WHO SAID THAT!?"  
  
"Cid Highwind. You won't find a pilot like me."  
  
"I'm Reeve, and I. . . uh--"  
  
"I am Vincent" were all the words from the shadowy man.  
  
"My name is Elena, and this is Rude and. . . "  
  
"Reno. Try to stay out of our way"  
  
"Yuffie, mess with them all you want!"  
  
Reno shot Yuffie a look.  
  
"You may call me Nanaki, Red XIII, or simply Red"  
  
"My name is Squall Leonhart. I'm seventeen, and I use a gunblade"  
  
"Seifer Almasy, eighteen. I use a gunblade as well"  
  
"Rinoa Heartily, seventeen"  
  
"Quistis Trepe, eighteen"  
  
"Irvine Kinneas. Seventeen, and ready for your love!"  
  
There was a silence before introductions continued.  
  
"Zell Dincht, seventeen, and a martial artist!"  
  
He and Tifa momentarily locked eyes.  
  
"My names Selphie, and I'm seventeen, too"  
  
"Zidane Tribal, king of Alexandria, so deal with it!"  
  
"He's only sixteen. And my name is Amarant Coral. Ask my age I'll shove a knife down your throat"  
  
"Queen Garnet 'til Alexandros the--just call me Dagger. I turn seventeen in five months"  
  
"You all look very tasty. Me Quina!"  
  
"Captain Steiner of the Pluto Knights, an honor it is"  
  
"General Beatrix of the Alexandria imperial guard."  
  
"I'm Eiko Carol from the Mandain Sari. I may be six but I pack a punch!"  
  
"Vivi Ornitier. Hello, everyone."  
  
"Freya Crescent of the Burmecian imperial guard. I am looking for another with a lance"  
  
Kimahri twitched his tail.  
  
"My name is Tidus, uh, just Tidus. I like blitzball, and I'm seventeen. I also like diving, swimming, volleyball; I'm popular with the ladies, too. My sword isn't as sharp as my tongue, and I--"  
  
Yuna put her hand over his mouth.  
  
"My name is Yuna. It is a pleasure to meet you all"  
  
"Wakka here, da ex-captain of de Aurochs, practically a twenny-tree year old prodigy!"  
  
There were questioning glances.  
  
"He said twenty three. My name is Lulu, a black mage"  
  
She doesn't look like a black mage, Vivi thought.  
  
"I'm Rikku, an Al Bhed"  
  
"And I'm her pops, Cid the Al Bhed"  
  
"Kimahri Ronso" The blue lion man felt the tip of his lance. "Lance master, as well"  
  
"You can call me Kuja"  
  
Fortunately, Zidane had explained the situation. Only Amarant and Quina seemed to be indifferent.  
  
"My name is Jessica Takahashi, seventeen, I assume you already know me"  
  
"And I, at nineteen, am O--oh to heck with it, that's enough introductions. We all know each other. So here's the plan. We are all cramming into Balamb Garden parked somewhere around here, and making a transition to Squall's planet. There I will train you to extreme measures and make you're very powerful, but there is something you all should know. I am gifted with the power of revision, so I can revive some of you lost allies. . . "  
  
Thoughts of Aeris and Auron popped into everyone's heads.  
  
"But I need to revive three that you might really, really, really hate. They will help us with all we need. They are willing, I can sense it, but I have to tell you, it won't be easy"  
  
"Who could they possibly be?" Barret called.  
  
Oren took a deep breath.  
  
"Seymour. . . "  
  
Tidus' group seemed to come alive with anger.  
  
"Ultimecia. . . "  
  
"You're freakin' kidding me!" Zell yelled.  
  
"Well that doesn't sound so bad!" Barret called again.  
  
"And. . . well. . . we need Sephiroth too."  
  
"AHHHHH!"  
  
"DAMMIT!"  
  
"YOU'RE KIDDING ME!"  
  
"NEVER!"  
  
"NEVER!"  
  
"NEVER!"  
  
There were violent screams.  
  
"Listen, the process is necessary, and we need them. I promise I'll see to it that they don't cause trouble"  
  
"Listen, man, you don't know Sephiroth like we do. He brought chaos to our planet. He's only going to bring up more if you continue with this crazy plan. Sephiroth in the world of the living is out of the question"  
  
"Look, Mr. Strife, the existence of our planet depends on this. We need these guys. You don't even have to be around, just cooperate for now. Come on!"  
  
The group was hesitant, but they simply calmed down by pretending Oren hadn't said anything.  
  
"Alright, are we all set?"  
  
"Wait!" Called Zidane.  
  
"What about the people of Alexandria, we can't just leave them!"  
  
"Already taken care of, Zidane. I announced our temporary leave, the place is in good hands" said Dagger to her husband.  
  
"Oh. Well then I guess we can leave with no delay."  
  
The phone in Squall's pocket rang, and he pulled it out and answered it.  
  
"Yeah? What? Darn." He put it back in his pocket and addressed Oren directly.  
  
"The garden is immobile. The impact of that landing has made it unable to be flown."  
  
"Well, we just need an engineer in that case"  
  
Cid Highwind and the Al Bhed opened their mouths, but Zidane beat them to it.  
  
"What about Regent Cid, he's a great engineer"  
  
"Another Cid!?" both said at the same time.  
  
"Oh, yes. I can teleport there. Jessica, come with me--"  
  
"Wait!" Eiko called from the crowd.  
  
"I haven't said goodbye yet, let me come, too"  
  
"Fine. Jessica, if you would be so kind?"  
  
She crouched down and held Eiko's hand, and the two disappeared. After that, Oren rubbed a hand through his head and disappeared as well.  
  
***  
  
"This is an outrage! Where in heavens has that girl gone off too? I thought she said she would be back soon. I should have never trusted Lani to pilot my ship."  
  
"Calm down, now, I'm sure that for whatever reason she is gone is a perfectly good one"  
  
Hilda massaged Cid's back as he paced around in his throne room, worried to death about his adopted daughter.  
  
"She should have been back hours ago! How could I let her--"  
  
TSSAAAP  
  
The teleportation made another one of its unique sounds when Jessica and Eiko landed right in front of the regent from nowhere, and a few seconds later, Oren.  
  
"Hello there. Could we borrow the regent?" she asked.  
  
"What? What did you do to my daughter"!  
  
"Dad!" Eiko ran to her father and have him a hug from the leg.  
  
"Where have you been? Did those people do anything bad to you?"  
  
"No. They just need me. And they need you too, can we go?"  
  
"Absolutely not! You're mother is still here, Lindblum would be in chaos"  
  
"It is just for a while sir" Oren tried to alleviate the tension of the situation.  
  
"Please, dad?" she gave him a fake look as if she were about to cry.  
  
Cid gave a sigh and turned to his wife.  
  
"Hilda, can you manage here? I don't know what crazy stunt this is, but we'll be back in just a few minutes."  
  
"Of course. But I think it would be better if we didn't even tell them you would be gone. No need to send the place into worry over trivial matters such as this"  
  
"Great!" with no warning or preparation, Jessica zapped them all back to their waiting crowd.  
  
"!?" Cid was speechless when he saw the mass of unfamiliar faces in strange clothing, and the queen out of uniform during daily hours.  
  
"Queen? Zidane? What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"I'll explain later, Regent. Everyone, we're off!"  
  
***  
  
Cloud had quite a few questions. He had just been whisked off and drafted for some fight. What happened to sanity? And Sephiroth alive and willing to cooperate? This is something he hadn't even dreamed of.  
  
"Tifa, what do you think?" he asked as the group began moving towards the edge of the castle, and ultimately the city itself.  
  
"Think of what? The fact that we're possibly a million miles away from home? The fact that there are three different engineering Cids? The fact that we might see Aeris again? The fact that we're involved in some crazy plan to see Sephiroth? What do I think of what?"  
  
"A dangerous combination of all four"  
  
"I think this is all just a dream, a really long one that's really vivid because I had to much vodka at the bar last night"  
  
"Me too, except I had too much whiskey" said Cloud.  
  
"How 'bout liquor?" Barret joined in.  
  
"Cider" Cid added.  
  
"Wine would be preferable" Vincent put in his two cents of alcoholic preference.  
  
"Red wine, of course" Red made a rare joke. It took a moment for it to sink in, and then everyone laughed.  
  
"How does sparkling wine sound?" was Yuffie's remark.  
  
"Well what does Marlene think?" Barret looked down at his daughter.  
  
"Why not just beer?"  
  
Another laugh came out of the Cloud's group from the tike's narrowly wide sense of alcoholic preference.  
  
Elena raised an eyebrow and whispered to Reno:  
  
"Do you think they've lost it? We find ourselves like this and they want to joke about booze?"  
  
"Keep in mind they've never been on the smart side. Let's just play along for a while" was his response."  
  
Everyone neared the outside of the castle gates and made their way like a parade through the city.  
  
***  
  
"Squall, why did you keep us from arresting him? Why did you stick up for him? Didn't I teach you anything when you were in my class?"  
  
Quistis constantly harassed Squall about the earlier situation.  
  
"Quistis, he didn't do anything truly punishable when you think about it."  
  
"But he could have--"  
  
"Key words. Could have. Can we really punish someone for something they could have done? I could have killed Zidane when he was turned around, but that would be murderous and wrong. Do I get in trouble for that?"  
  
"This is different and you know it. What he did was already triggered, and would have happened if we didn't stop him. What you're talking about wasn't even in a factor of prevention"  
  
"What did he do like that?"  
  
"He could have killed you, sacrificed Rinoa to Adel and succeeded if not for us, destroyed Balamb Garden, he fought for Ultimecia, and over all, he betrayed our garden and put us all in danger! Not to mention he tortured you. Imagine you, of all people, being forgiving to him after what he did to you."  
  
"Why not hold him to a fresh start? His help is apparently necessary when we have--"  
  
"--The whole garden at our disposal! He is easily replaced? What skills does he have that can't be copied with one of our own students, Squall?"  
  
"He's the only one other than me that uses a gunblade" Squall knew he had made a mistake.  
  
"Oh. Now I see. You just want someone to fight, so you keep trusting him until you fight, and then arrest him, right?"  
  
"No! That's not it at all. Don't get the wrong impression"  
  
"Squall, there are other ways to get a good fight. All I'm to stay is, keep an eye on him, and get rid of him fast"  
  
Quistis walked ahead without saying another word.  
  
***  
  
The party now left the city limits of Alexandria, and walked across the grass through the fields with the impressive waterfalls to the right, Balamb garden now a visible destination.  
  
Wakka noticed that Lulu hadn't said much, and seemed to be less stale than usual.  
  
"Lulu, you alright?"  
  
She looked up as if she expected him to say something.  
  
"You really look a lot like Chappu, too you know?"  
  
He was surprised to here the sudden new subject.  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"When you were very young I could never tell the difference. My parents couldn't either"  
  
"Your mom, dad?"  
  
"It was right before Sin took them from me. I wasn't always like this, Wakka. I wasn't always quiet, strict, and maybe a bit stoic. But that tends to happen when a single cause takes away so much from a person. I knew your parents. They were alive when you were very young. They were decent people. One day they went to sea and never came back."  
  
Wakka was temporarily silent.  
  
"Lulu, did something happen? I've never heard you like this until now. What happened?"  
  
"Nothing happened. I'm just tired of hiding it. I have to speak with someone Wakka. I'm tired of harboring these feelings. And maybe I tell you because I feel I can trust you more than anyone. You may think Chappu was better than you Wakka, but I think you were both great. And I loved you both. I still love you both"  
  
"Are you sure something's not the matter?"  
  
"Call me crazy, but I never realized how close you are until now. And when one realized the ignored opportunity to enjoy friendship, one wants to take complete advantage."  
  
There was silence again.  
  
"I only regret that Chappu didn't live long enough to propose. If I knew he was going to die. . . now it's too late for me to love again"  
  
"You're still young. You're only twenty-two, there's still time. And don't forget that you have all of us with you"  
  
"Thank you, then. And keep in mind that I'll remove you're tongue if a word of this conversation reaches the minds of anyone excluding the two of us due to your mouthing"  
  
"You don't have to worry about that!"  
  
The Besaidian gave her a big hug and she couldn't help but release a tiny smile.  
  
"We're here!" Oren called from the front. "All Cids report to the front, and lets see what the problem is. Seifer and Kuja, I also need to see you!"  
  
It was almost time for departure. The group had made it to Balamb Garden.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Okay, you may think it's impossible, but I plan on covering every character ever so thoroughly. So don't worry about your favorite character not getting recognized. Also, this is one last reminder for you non- authors that couldn't review before that I removed the block that was accidentally in place, so you're now free to do so. 


	8. Chapter 8: Theta

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Eight: Theta  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
So I'll just wait until Eta and Theta are deployed, but not until they regroup. They are powerless.  
  
"Zidane! Squall!" Oren called them to the front.  
  
"Listen, I need to other fighters besides myself and Jessica. Not that we couldn't handle anything in there but we just wanted to get you fighting together. Will you come with us?"  
  
"I was actually going to volunteer anyway. You may need me to help find the way around the MD level"  
  
Oren seemed to relax.  
  
"Good. Also, I need to say this. Although it may seem different, you all have seen far more combat than me, and are actually better fighters. Once I teach you to harness Zatach energy, however, I think I'll step down from my position. I've been feeling a little too bossy lately. I'll simply give you advice, but you should be able to do well once you can fend for yourselves. Just keep that under your hat for now, okay?"  
  
Zidane and Squall both nodded.  
  
"Great. Squall, will you lead us to the MD level, please?"  
  
Squall and Seifer went up at the front, Regent Cid, Highwind, and the Al Bhed in the middle, and Kuja and Zidane behind them, and Oren with Jessica slightly lagging to purposely bring up the rear.  
  
It was fortunate that Kuja had had a nice change of clothes from the castle, even if it did mean he had to dress like some king. The outfit he wore resembled Zidane's slightly, the royal red satin shirt for the upper body, a nice blue cape, and standard black linen pants. The only incomplete thing was the sheath, which held no sword. The Terran said that he preferred to fight with his hands, and by that he certainly meant magic.  
  
A few students stared curiously, but went about their duties. The newcomers' eyes widened in awe at the beautiful interior of the garden, the shiny and colorful floors, the sea-blue fountains, and the amazing craftsmanship of the building added to the beauty from the outside. It was hard to believe that all of this packed into a building could remain stable when achieving flight.  
  
Cid Highwind spoke up.  
  
"And you mean to tell me that this thing can fly? I'll bet she's not as nimble as mine though. My ship even escaped an unstable crater that was prone to implode."  
  
"Really now? My ship really ain't so nimble, but it can withstand quite mess. Why, it didn't have a scratch after flyin' from an explosion that seared through eight solid layers of sandrock. Al Bhed machina is the best material"  
  
"Hah! I laugh at you both. Not only is my ship nimble enough to jump a mountain on a whim, but it is fast enough to circle the globe in three minutes, and strong enough to withstand a full body crash"  
  
Highwind and the Al Bhed both stared at the Regent skeptically.  
  
"Three minutes, huh? You must be one of two things. A really big liar, or the resident of a small-ass planet"  
  
The Al Bhed got a laugh from Highwind's comment.  
  
"Just because you all couldn't make a bird fly doesn't mean my ships cannot come close to defying the laws of aviation" was the Regents witty comeback.  
  
"Hah! I bet your ship is so old, the Wright brothers threw it away!" Highwind countered.  
  
"And probably so slow, it can't even beat the rotation of the planet" the Al Bhed added.  
  
"Yours are so clunky, it needs eight miles of clearance for a thirty degree turn!" the Regent felt fury rising within.  
  
When Squall and Seifer stopped at the elevator, they turned to notice that Kuja and Zidane were staring back.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"The Cids are insulting each other on who has the worst ship" Zidane answered without turning his head away.  
  
"Hey! We're at the elevator. Save your arguing for a later time."  
  
The Cids reluctantly turned away from each other, and the rest of the group followed Squall into the elevator. They packed themselves in, and Squall pushed the hidden button, realizing his mistake much too late.  
  
"Uh-oh" he said.  
  
Jessica looked at him.  
  
"Uh-oh what?"  
  
"Last time I was here with Zell and Rinoa, the cables got jammed because of the weight, but we got out before it crashed, now that we're all in here with combined weight."  
  
Seifer made a sound of a projectile falling, and then crashing.  
  
". . . Precisely"  
  
As if on cue, the elevator stopped abruptly with a loud creek.  
  
Squall rushed to the trap door on the floor and opened it.  
  
"Hey, we all have to get out of here, NOW!"  
  
Without hesitation, Squall dropped down the hatch followed by Seifer, Kuja, Zidane, the three Cids, Jessica, and finally Oren.  
  
"MOVE! IT'LL FALL ANY MINUTE!"  
  
The group rushed forward, and just as Squall said it crashed behind them with a loud bang on the dark metallic floor of the garden basement only a few seconds after they cleared the shaft.  
  
"I guess it's a good thing I asked Squall to come then." Oren wiped off some stray oil on his coat.  
  
"Okay, there might be monsters, here, but our party should prove more than a match for them. The problem is probably with the engines, so we'll go to the engine room first."  
  
Squall was surprised when he heard no objections. It felt good to have some sort of control again.  
  
The group moved ahead again, in the same formation, and most were surprised to know that the inside wasn't nearly as incredible as the upper levels of garden. It was just a gigantic room of metal walkways, railings and stairs with dim lighting and frequent oil pools.  
  
"If anything comes, I want to see you all fight two at a time. Seifer fight with Zidane every even monster, and Squall fights with Kuja every odd. This will be a good time to learn to fight with unfamiliar allies," Oren said from the back.  
  
"What about me?" asked Cid Highwind. "I can fight, I even have my Venus Gospel with me.  
  
"You can probably fight, but we can't risk you being injured, because your expertise may be needed to fix the ship"  
  
Cid was a little disappointed that he couldn't get the old blood flowing for a good flight again, but excited at the thought of the challenge working on an unfamiliar type of transportation vehicle.  
  
Inside a circular room there was a ladder that spiraled down into darkness.  
  
"Not as dark as I remember it" Seifer muttered.  
  
"As you remember it? What are you talking about?" Squall questioned him suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing at all, I just--what's the use? I was actually hiding out here, and left for Alexandria when the garden landed."  
  
"Oh. I guess that that explains how you got there"  
  
Seifer looked at him.  
  
"You're not the least bit upset?"  
  
"Why would I be?"  
  
"Uh, never mind"  
  
Before the party could precede any further, an Oilboyle burst through the flimsy wall, spurting oil from its gray skin.  
  
"Oilboyle!" Squall withdrew the Lionheart and Kuja cracked his knuckles as the two jumped into combat.  
  
***  
  
The much bigger crowd still waiting outside of garden had grown tired and sat down in their respective social clusters.  
  
Zell was fidgeting around, getting the urge to stand up and start shadow boxing.  
  
"Geez! There's nothing to do!" He lay back on the grass and stared up at the sky.  
  
***  
  
Tifa lay on her back staring at the sky.  
  
"Geez! There's nothing to do! What's taking them so long?"  
  
Cloud sat in a more focused position, Indian style.  
  
"You seem easily bored. Why don't you practice your moves or something?"  
  
"But that's--" she cut herself off when she remembered about Zell claiming to be a martial artist.  
  
"I bet I know. I'll just beat the crap out of Zell"  
  
Cloud raised an eyebrow.  
  
"That doesn't sound very nice. You barely know him, either"  
  
"I was just kidding. But I doubt it'll be much of a challenge. How much fight could a teenager put up?" she stood up and brushed herself off, starting a pace towards Zell himself.  
  
"Besides, maybe I can give him some pointers"  
  
***  
  
Zell stood up and was about to start shadow boxing, when he noticed Tifa walking in his direction. He stopped and eagerly awaited her arrival. She stopped a few feet in front of him and extended her hand.  
  
"Hi. I believe you know me, but more formally, I'm Tifa Lockheart"  
  
He shook her hand.  
  
"I'm Zell. I was actually wondering--"  
  
"--If you want to fight? That's what I came here for. But are you sure? I don't play around. I'm a real martial artist"  
  
Perfect. She sees me as some kid that isn't for real.  
  
"Okay then. Maybe you can show me some pointers," he said. One thing he had learned: let the enemy think you are weak. It makes it easier to bring them down.  
  
The two walked off to an open area away from everybody else.  
  
***  
  
"Hey" Reno tapped Rude on the shoulder.  
  
"Those two are going at it. Maybe we have ourselves some entertainment."  
  
Rude said nothing, but stood up. The two walked over to watch. Gradually, everyone noticed what was going on and most of them went to watch the fight as well, all hungry for some form of entertainment.  
  
"Hey!" Reno shouted.  
  
"I put twenty gil on Tifa!"  
  
Everyone was surprised to find that they all used the same currency.  
  
Tidus set ten gil on the grass.  
  
"Ten gill on Zell"  
  
"You're on!"  
  
The less serious types made bets of ten, twenty, and even thirty gil on the victor while the opponents were still warming up. Most people set bets on Tifa, but the people who set bets on Zell set higher quantities. The fighters' support was about equal. One had more supporters, the other with fewer supporters that had more faith.  
  
***  
  
Pyros sat back in his big armchair inside of the bridge of his ship that was currently in orbit over Gaia. Alpha through Zeta were still trashed, but that didn't matter! Eta was stronger than all six combined times two. Of course there was the worry that they would run off, but that was unlikely. He picked up his "Girl Next Door" magazine and started leafing through looking for a picture worthy of adding to his collection.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
He found his assistant Farfy staring up at him.  
  
"Ahh!"  
  
Pyros fell out of his chair and tried to hide his naughty magazine.  
  
"I thought you were prohibited from entering! Does your incompetence have no end?!"  
  
". . . Is that a trick question sir?"  
  
"Do you want it to be a trick question?"  
  
"Um, no?"  
  
"WELL TOO BAD! NOW GET!"  
  
"Okay sir. . . "  
  
The tiny young man turned to head the other way, when he was stopped.  
  
"Hold on Farfy"  
  
Pyros sat back in his chair.  
  
"Why did you come here in the first place?"  
  
"I wanted to ask why the fighters were named after the Greek alphabet."  
  
"Oh. You should know. Wait, never mind. They are simply code names to shield us from spies"  
  
"What are their real names?"  
  
"How do I know you're not a spy?"  
  
The two locked eyes for a few minutes.  
  
"Sir. . . ?"  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Can I, um"  
  
"Spit it out"  
  
"Can I take a piss?"  
  
"DAMMIT! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"  
  
Farfy ran out of the room and scrambled to the washroom.  
  
A few minutes later he came back.  
  
"Look, you're distracting me from my reading"  
  
"Sir, how about you tell me their names every time they're defeated?"  
  
"Fine, fine. Okay, Alpha through Zeta were named, respectively. . . "  
  
***  
  
Laguna didn't know whom the strange man with a glow of blue was to order the president of Esthar around, but he sure was excited by the Esthar Garden that had almost been completed. Almost three times bigger than any normal garden, Esthar Garden resembled Galbadia except it was light and dark purple. The large circular shape proved very effective when sustaining damage.  
  
The president sat in his chair overlooking his beautiful futuristic city, twiddling his thumbs and playing Chrono Cross.  
  
Kiros came in and looked at him for a second.  
  
"Loire, it's a wonder that you've been president for almost eighteen years. Especially when all you do is sit on your ass and play video games"  
  
". . . Go away. You're going to make me lose."  
  
"Laguna, you're needed to oversee the construction. You can't really just sit around here and play some game made by Skewerhard."  
  
"That's SQUARESOFT, for the last time. You have everything against them. I've never heard you complain when I play a game made by some other company!"  
  
"I just don't like Squaresoft. Their games suck, especially since they skipped making an FF8. What kind of company would make Final Fantasy one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, ???, nine, and then ten? It makes no sense. And they never listen to my complaints"  
  
"Forget it man. They want me at the construction site?"  
  
"They said they were almost done, and it was about the time for the occupants. It's taken almost four days to do this, you know. You might as well"  
  
Kiros, Laguna's friend and analyst had always tried to keep him in line, but unfortunately the ways of Laguna would probably never change. The two walked down the hall suspended hundreds of feet above the city with transparent walls and ceilings, a setting that they had all long since grown used to.  
  
"Hey, where's Ward?" Laguna realized that his other friend had been absent.  
  
"The guys responsible for the construction were afraid if they sent both of us, we would never come back," Kiros said accusingly. He was referring to when he had slapped both Kiros and Ward on the back as some gesture of friendship, and almost sent them falling to their death.  
  
"Come on! That was a one time thing!"  
  
"You only have to kill someone once for them to die, you know"  
  
Laguna couldn't argue with that.  
  
***  
  
Squall and Kuja jumped into action, ready for battle. The others stepped back, and watched Squall lead the attack by sinking his gunblade into the soft flesh of the spine of the Oilboyle. The thing gave out a scream and squirted oil in his eyes.  
  
"I can't see!" Squall clutched his eyes, and swung wildly. With his skill, an quite a bit of luck, the blade struck the target again, sending it flailing about, straight into Regent Cid.  
  
"Stop!" Kuja cast a stop spell, right before the impact. The monster hung above the cowering ruler like something straight out of a cartoon.  
  
"Flare" he cast one more spell, the flames engulfing and destroying the Oilboyle, sending about a three gallons of oil spilling everywhere.  
  
Oren blinked.  
  
"Very good. It seems you are capable of working together."  
  
Squall was still clutching his eyes.  
  
"It'll be hours before I can see clearly again."  
  
"Here" Seifer gave him some eye drops, which Squall haphazardly took and dropped in his eyes. Oil still remained around it, but the substance in his eyes had cleared up.  
  
"Thanks"  
  
Everyone continued down the ladder into an even lower level, which contained the wide steel platform suspended over a sea of oil, and the switch was still on green from when Squall pulled it. To the right there was a long platform that led to the engine room.  
  
The place where the Oilboyles cut us off last time, he thought.  
  
Cid Highwind cracked his knuckles, eager to get his hands on some sort of equipment.  
  
"None of you can speak Japanese, right?" Highwind asked.  
  
The Regent could, but he didn't shake his head, just to see what this guy would try.  
  
"Good. Even though I respect the regent here, for being a great kasuya"  
  
"Nani! I mean, what! You vile insect, I happen to know what that means"  
  
"Heh heh"  
  
"Take that back immediately!"  
  
"We're almost there," said Squall. "You all can argue later."  
  
Squall was relieved when no monster attacked them on the way, but he got a much bigger surprise when they reached the engine room.  
  
"Sweet mother of pearl!" Cid the Al Bhed yelled. There was a snake the size of Dali coiled up around the engines.  
  
***  
  
Zell and Tifa finished their warm up exercises. There were a few cheers, now that it was finally time for action.  
  
Tifa watched out for a common mistake among any newbie, which was to charge immediately without any indication of the opponent's technique, but there was none. Eventually the two started circling each other, and Tifa took on her fighting stance.  
  
Now that Zell had a tiny idea of the kind of attacks she was focused on, he felt it was safe to close in. He assumed his semi-boxing stance, doing a few quick punches, made sure that his Ergheiz were on tightly, and then started his approach. Tifa beat him to it, and came at a swift steady run. For a few seconds the two were a few feet apart, and then, suddenly, she brought up a surprise kick.  
  
Zell brought up his knee and blocked, then smashed forward with the palm of his hand, expecting it to be a knockout, right to the head.  
  
She somehow ducked, thrust her arm upward to break his guard, and grabbed him by the torso. Before he could react, Zell found himself thrown up into the sky, and sprawling head first into the ground.  
  
He performed a trick that was very convenient for this, and balanced his hand as he made impact, and carefully flipped himself back onto the ground.  
  
There were "oohs" among the crowed with the impressive movement, and Zell earned a surprised look from his opponent.  
  
"Not bad" she said.  
  
She flipped up, and grabbed both sides of Zell's neck with her feet, preparing to twist him.  
  
Faster than light, he took hold of her ankles, and started swinging her around at a high speed.  
  
"How's this!" he tossed her high into the air, his opponent sprawling around wildly. Then, as if from nowhere, she stabilized herself, and landed on her feet in a crouch. A wild gasp escaped the onlookers.  
  
Both were out of tricks; including the easy one hit kills. It would have to be a close brawl of skill.  
  
At the same time, both ran forward and went into a flurry.  
  
"Dolphin Blow!"  
  
Simultaneously they both performed the powerful combo.  
  
Tifa somersaulted right into Zell's chin, which he countered with Mach Kick.  
  
Suddenly the two launched into a flurry of fists and legs, seemingly a jumble and a blur, a few drops of blood flying, landing kicks and punches here and there.  
  
"Zell! Use My Final Heaven!" Irvine yelled from the sidelines.  
  
"Tifa! Final Heaven!" was Cloud's advice.  
  
I'd love to, she thought, but I'll be wide open while I'm--  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when Zell raced away, leaving a trail of smoke.  
  
"That's it Zell!" Irvine yelled off into the distance.  
  
What the?  
  
"Tifa! Get ready!" Cloud encouraged. She prepared for her ultimate attack.  
  
Zell smiled, wind rushing at his face as he ran so fast he left smoke and circled the globe. His target was in sight; she was approaching at incredible speed, three hundred miles.one hundred and fifty miles. . . . . . WHAM!  
  
Both of their fists connected as both smashed with their ultimate attacks, concentrating all their energy into their fists, knowing that a single bit of muscle movement could result in the loss. A burst of red energy temporarily flew, amazing everyone.  
  
"This is it! The winner and loser will be determined! Come on gil!"  
  
Reno had never imagined himself hoping a member of AVALANCHE would succeed in anything, especially Tifa. But now he had twenty gil riding on her victory.  
  
The blows gradually started getting weaker, and both fighters' forces grew less and less strong, soon diminishing completely. In a few seconds both withdrew and grabbed their arms, rubbing them briskly and panting heavily.  
  
"Geez. You are a martial artist," Zell said.  
  
"You're pretty fun to fight. The only guy other than Zangan that I know of that I can't beat."  
  
***  
  
"My word! It's bigger than my ship! Perhaps it wasn't a mistake to leave Eiko!"  
  
Seifer let out a whistle.  
  
"I guess we have our problem. Who fights?"  
  
"Stay on plan. Seifer and Zidane, see what you can do" Oren explained calmly.  
  
The snake was a pure black one, coiled around the many cylindrical engines. Its body was around forty feet long, and maybe twelve feet wide. It had been sleeping, but everyone got a shock when it opened its eyes, being bloodshot red.  
  
Seifer engaged without hesitation. He ran along the engines that were at extreme angles, performing a nice display of acrobatics. He cast a fire spell that didn't impact immediately, and the snake seemed to be frozen in place. Time seemed to slow down as Seifer jumped, spun in the air, and slammed the bloated head.  
  
"That was my Demon Slice" Seifer landed next to Zidane.  
  
"Impressive, but how about--"  
  
The angered reptile reared back its head, and with and unearthly hiss brought it forward extremely fast down on the group.  
  
"--My Grand Lethal!" A trail of fire and destruction led towards the black horror, and then exploded when it came under it. The head seemed to become black oily blood and rained down on the party.  
  
"Disgusting!" Squall yelled. He tried to brush off all the oil that was quickly drying.  
  
"Someone needs to clean this place of monsters once in a while. That thing must have been growing for a helluva long time," Highwind added.  
  
Everything was pretty fine, until a large black brain landed on the party and turned into tiny chunks.  
  
"My word" Jessica struggled to not regurgitate at the disgusting sight and brush all of the slime off.  
  
"Geez, I wouldn't call it very smart with a brain like that" Seifer gave another lame joke.  
  
"Not very smart being really dumb" Squall added dryly.  
  
With a glow the engines began whirring to life.  
  
"I guess that was the only problem." The Regent looked around.  
  
"I was dragged down here for nothing!"  
  
"Calm down, guy" Kuja requested.  
  
"Wait a minute! Your Kuja! What is he doing here!"?  
  
"Forget it, man," said Zidane.  
  
"He's cool for now"  
  
"I thought you were dead. . . "  
  
"And I thought you were an oglop/frog, so there"  
  
The ruler had no response to that comment.  
  
***  
  
Everyone was disappointed that the great fight they had expected was indeed great, but now over and leaving everyone with no source of entertainment.  
  
Amarant sat with his arms and legs crossed.  
  
"Did you all notice something?"  
  
His party looked at him.  
  
"Kuja was over there"  
  
"I thought so too" Freya adjusted her hat.  
  
"But he and Zidane seemed to ignore each other."  
  
"I admit that he has some strange ways, and I still think that he is nothing but a bumpkin who hindered my duty to protect the princess, but I never thought he was capable of such stupidity"  
  
"Maybe that's not the case!" Eiko forcefully interjected.  
  
"Zidane said something about rescuing him back at that tree, and if I know him (and I do) then he would have gotten him out of there alive. As much as I hate Kuja, I'm willing to trust him, well not really, but tolerate him if Zidane is."  
  
"I think so too" said Vivi.  
  
"He's gotten us so many places in the past based what he believed, and even if it seemed boneheaded it always turned out okay in the end." Dagger added in her input.  
  
It was anonymously agreed that they would trust his judgment for now, but later they were definitely going to do something about Kuja. He certainly couldn't be running around free!  
  
Everyone soon lost excitement from the fight, also further disappointed that the seemed too wiped out to go any further. In a matter of minutes they were all sitting down again, with more frequent complaints of how there was nothing to do and the fact that it was taking the guys too long.  
  
All anxiousness was remedied when they heard the humming of the garden's engines.  
  
"Finally!"'s and "It's about time"'s and "Hallelujah!"'s rung out among the crowd. A few minutes later, Regent Cid, Cid Highwind, Cid the Al Bhed, Seifer, Squall, Zidane, Kuja, Jessica, and Oren resurfaced, covered with oil.  
  
"The garden is mobile again. Just remember that I am the commander of the ship. Everyone come on in" Squall said.  
  
Squall's allies came in first, followed by everyone else, completely jamming the entrances. The residents of garden had been given an explanation, but were still in shock to see so many people. There weren't nearly enough rooms for everyone! As a matter of fact, the hall would be filled with the sleeping figures of these new arrivals come night.  
  
Squall noticed this and turned to Oren who was still at the entranceway.  
  
"We don't have enough room in here. What will be done?"  
  
"Like I said. We make the jump back to your planet, where we will find Esthar Garden. It's stationed by the Great Salt Lake. The rooms there are gigantic, and enough for everyone to get there own personal one. I guarantee that it will satisfy. I talked to Laguna."  
  
Squall still couldn't understand why Oren would talk to a bonehead like Laguna, but trusted his judgment.  
  
Seifer forgot about the situation and walked right in.  
  
In seconds every present student or SeeD aimed ever firearm, blade, impact device, or other weapon of harm in his direction, a look of plain surprise on their face.  
  
"Commander! Can we have an explanation?"  
  
"That's not really Seifer, although it may look like it. Just a body double trained to extract information."  
  
"Right! Just a body double. I'll go take off my wig, even though it does make me look extremely handsome" Seifer disguised his voice and walked slowly.  
  
The SeeDs hesitantly went about their business, asking questions to the visitors who were gawking at the scenery of the garden.  
  
It was certainly time. In a few seconds, everyone would see this Esthar Garden that was heavily bragged about, and the 'training' would commence.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: And without further ado! The jump into Esthar Garden, and some inter- game interaction.in the next chapter. 


	9. Chapter 9: Iota

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Nine: Iota  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Iota is very beautiful. She can easily win because everyone will be busy staring at her.  
  
"Squall" Oren put a hand on his shoulder. "Do you think that you can take me to the bridge? I would like to see you or whoever does the work fly this thing"  
  
"I can, but I have to bring Seifer and Quistis. Something tells me Seifer won't really be all too safe down here, and Quistis is second in command."  
  
"Okay, go ahead"  
  
Seifer was still trying to sneak down the hallway, ignoring the suspicious glances from every present student.  
  
"Hey, Seifer" Squall walked close.  
  
"Follow me to the bridge. You should be semi-safe up there."  
  
"I really don't mind that. Lead the way, puberty boy"  
  
Squall groaned in annoyance.  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"Yeah. I suppose you deserve a more dignified term, like Captain Puberty, or Commander Puberty"  
  
"Cut it out or I'll throw you out."  
  
He received no response as he led Seifer behind him to the elevator that was free of traffic due to the business down below. Quistis and Oren followed him, so he then voice-commanded the elevator to take them to the third floor. Which was the bridge.  
  
The four stepped in, and the elevator made a smooth whirring sound as it swiftly took them to the top level.  
  
"Follow me" Squall said, directed mostly at Seifer and Oren who had never seen the place. Squall walked up to the smaller elevator with no railing that was really just a steel platform. Squall pushed the button and the four went up to the bridge where Nida and Xu were waiting.  
  
"Commander Leonhart!" the two said at the same time. They almost stopped in mid-sentence when their eyes fell on Seifer.  
  
"Not again!" he said, putting his gloved hand to his head.  
  
"Listen, you guys can kill him later, I swear. But right now we really need him alive!" Squall elaborated. Quistis gave a disapproving shake of her head.  
  
"Commander--" Nida started.  
  
"Just pilot for now" he cut him off.  
  
"Fine. Where do we go"?  
  
The commander opened his mouth halfway and then looked to Oren.  
  
"Where do we go exactly?"  
  
"Just tell him to move forward, that I'll create a passageway I like to call 'the blue light'"  
  
Something clicked in his head.  
  
"What happened to Rinoa when she was acting strange?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She was in a coma-like state talking about a blue light!"  
  
"Oh! That. I apologize, that's my fault. I was attempting to seize temporary control of some living thing close to you in terms of distance while I was still in orbit. I was aiming for Nida or Irvine, but it hit Rinoa instead. And that usually has a negative effect on females, which is why she seemed strange. I apologize for that."  
  
"That's okay. Nida, just head forward along the open"  
  
Nida complied and the ship began to move forward along the side of the cliff that sported three waterfalls near Alexandria. As he moved forward, a portal of blue much bigger than the garden began to open and enlarge in the empty space. Soon the grass held a blue glow and blew as if by a strong breeze as the garden unwillingly began moving faster and faster.  
  
"We're going too fast!" Squall noted as he began grabbing the railing to maintain footing.  
  
"No kidding!" Seifer added.  
  
"It isn't Nida. The portal has a gravitational pull so that the object going inside can achieve maximum velocity for the jump!" Oren began to yell over the humming noise of crackling electricity that was rapidly getting louder.  
  
"I WILL MAKE A FORMAL EXPLANATION TO GARDEN ONCE AN FOR ALL, SQUALL!" those were the last words said on Gaia.  
  
WHOOOSH!  
  
The garden slammed into the portal causing a spark of blue electricity, causing whomever resided in the whole city of Alexandria just a few miles west to momentarily shake.  
  
***  
  
Kiros, Laguna, Ward, and half of the army of Esthar stood a few hundred yards west of the Esthar Garden, a newly built one that Laguna requested due to claims of strange voices in his head telling him to.  
  
Ward turned to Laguna, his speech visible through his eyes. Kiros and Laguna, due to years with their friend could easily interpret what he was trying to say, and would imagine his voice in their heads.  
  
Laguna, could you tell me again why you had this built?  
  
"I told you!" he started.  
  
"A voice in my head, female, said 'Is that him?' Then a male voice said 'That's him all right. Mr. Loire, can you hear us?'. After that, they explained to me with eerie detail how they would arrive in a few months and need the garden built."  
  
Half of Esthar thinks you're crazy because of this.  
  
"That's why I called the half of the Esthar soldiers that didn't"  
  
There was a silence between the three men.  
  
"That makes an eerie kind of sense," Kiros said.  
  
"Well, the voice said they were coming soon, so just sit tight"  
  
Laguna, when no one comes and everyone sees how loony you've really become, will that make you want to forget this whole thing? Maybe we can use the empty garden to consolidate Balamb, Galbadia, and Trabia? The large man continued.  
  
"You guys won't be disappointed, just you wait!"  
  
Laguna's friends grew inpatient, and then from nowhere Balamb Garden streaked across the grass for about five hundred yards, leaving a trail of fire and stopping just a few meters from colliding with Esthar garden.  
  
Sounds of awe echoed through the fields, and Laguna cockily looked at Kiros and Ward. Of course, there were too busy staring with gaping mouths and wide eyes.  
  
***  
  
At first, the students of Balamb Garden had been worried that they had been dragged to some other corner of the universe. But, when they saw that they were back on their own turf, cheers and shouts echoed among the students and around the garden. Squall was only happy that the shaky landing hadn't only led to more chaos.  
  
"Where's the PA system?" Oren asked regaining his footing.  
  
Squall pointed to a speaker attached to a coil in front of Nida. Oren picked it up and began an announcement.  
  
"People of Balamb Garden, and friends. I believe I owe you all an explanation"  
  
The cheers and shouts turned into groans as the students expected bad news.  
  
"We are here and gathered with people from other corners of the universe. You have seen this travel in action, and it has been used to gather them. We are going to join forces with these others so that we can rid the universe of a force that is convinced that it is theirs. They came from a planet far away, and are called Zatach. There are only twenty-four of them, with six wounded. But, we are no match if primary members of this team to do not undergo rigorous training that will start tomorrow. In the meantime, we will all be moved to a much bigger garden."  
  
Murmurs of doubt were heard below deck.  
  
"Squall, do you mind?"  
  
Squall took the intercom.  
  
"This is your commander speaking. He's right. Prepare for the move to Esthar Garden. Pack all necessary items and move. I know that this is a sudden request, but it is also a necessary one. Everyone prepare for departure."  
  
In a few seconds the murmurs of doubt turned to the patter of feet struggling to get ready for the move.  
  
After a few seconds, Squall, Xu, Nida, and Quistis remembered that they also had their belongings waiting to be packed. They moved down the elevator quickly, leaving Seifer and Oren alone on the bridge.  
  
Seifer leaned on the bridge and looked at the only person left with them.  
  
"So, uh, what will you be teaching us?"  
  
Oren looked like he hadn't expected the question and leaned back, the blue glow in his eyes seeming to flicker.  
  
"Nothing special. Increased strength, speed, energy harnesses, maybe to fly"  
  
"Fly!"  
  
"Yeah. It's actually pretty great. But I'm worried that humans aren't capable of it. I needed particularly strong ones, so I needed you all alive. I even helped Cloud and Tifa back at a dock by moving their boat a little so they would save time. Alpha was coming in fast and I didn't know if they would have survived if they weren't so close to Cosmo Canyon at the time. Had I left the boat floating, Alpha would have caught them in the middle of the sea and undoubtedly killed them."  
  
"That's another thing. Why are they named after the Greek alphabet?" Seifer asked.  
  
"Don't ask me. They're probably code names or something. They must find it attractive."  
  
"Oh. I don't mean to pry or bug, but could you tell me a bit about Jessica?"  
  
". . . o you want to know?"  
  
"Uh, anything. I kinda. . .  
  
"Oh! Say no more. I get you. She was pretty young, about eleven or twelve when I found her. She was unconscious in an abandoned space pod after our planet exploded. Many more Zatach probably still roam the galaxy somewhere, but I only know of Jessica, myself, and those baboons we still have to fight. Anyway, she was happy because she thought that I was her brother when I took her to my clunky ship. I told her I wasn't, but she didn't believe me. She thought I was playing a mean joke. She said that he had become a warrior a long time ago, practically at childhood, and had been codenamed Omega. However, I soon felt his power well up inside me and was found by Pyros and his team. They said I had his power because I killed him. I told them I didn't know how he died but they really weren't interested in listening to me. They went in search of a new planet, hoping to repopulate it as a new Zatach home world, clearing out any and all other species. They stumbled on a universe with four planets, yours. It took them five years to actually reach there in their ship, so they did that and pursued me at the same time. I fought them off with Omega's power, but it's been dwindling faster and faster over those five years, and will soon be gone. Jessica realized the truth soon. It really impacted her. She tries to hide it but she's still sad that she doesn't know where he is, or even how he died. Other than that she's okay to get along with and doesn't give up easily. I'm pretty sure that that wound she had is healed by now. The Zatach heal pretty fast."  
  
Seifer nodded his head.  
  
"Well I'm glad."  
  
He peeked over the railing at the ground and noticed that people were starting to move.  
  
"Whoa! They're packed already! I have to hurry!"  
  
Seifer was about run down the elevator, but Oren stopped him.  
  
"I have a better idea," He said. He grabbed Seifer, and jumped down towards the ground, stopping and hovering just a few feet over the grass of Esthar. He then put him down.  
  
"Thanks." He jogged over to Zidane and fell in step where he thought he wouldn't be given funny looks.  
  
***  
  
Headmaster Cid paced around the fountain in the middle of the Esthar Garden that had to be at least four times larger than Galbadia. He gave one more admirable look around the currently empty garden.  
  
There were twelve amazing floors, each with a hall in the middle circular around with clear blue floors and light purple railing like the essence of Esthar itself. In various places the garden logo that resembled a yin-yang could be seen. Tiny streams that strayed away from the large fountain of clear blue trailed along the bottom floor held in place by the various top- of-the-line gravity stabilizers. One of Esthar's many accomplishments was a hidden device used to move liquids through pipes at odd angles.  
  
On each floor there were four doors leading to the many facilities located at the north, south, east, and west. In the middle of the first floor was an astounding cluster of eight clear blue elevators clumped together in transparent vertically placed tubes. Floor one held the stairs for manual movement.  
  
Floors two and three held a new feature, air deployment. Ever since the sorceress war, it was considered that students also be trained as pilots. The floors held bays for the deployment of Kasatka helicopters, KA-50s through 60s; planes like AV models, F-2s through 22s, a few of the ACTIVE F- 15s, A-10s, TU-37 and 95 bombers, C-17 and 130 transport planes, SU-37s and SU-35's, about five MIGs, MIRs, F/A models, and finally three impressive X models. This made up most of the second floor.  
  
The third floor consisted of anti personnel weapons including the Stinger SAMs, Galbadian weapons such as the SAM08Gs, GIM52As, the GIM47Ns, some BGH251F2's, three X-ATM092's, and other standard weapons such as AA guns, howitzers, and flak guns.  
  
Floors four and five consisted of the dormitories. Boys were always on the left, and girls on the right. It would be enough for every resident to have their own nice room.  
  
Floors six and seven consisted of the dining facilities. An excellent supply of hot dogs and see-through blue floor for floor eight for easy monitoring of the whole cafeteria.  
  
Floor eight was a training area. There was of course the area where monsters were set loose, except now you could choose from a desert area, a snowy area, a jungle area, or a field area with air conditioning to control the weather.  
  
Floor nine was the infirmary, close to the training area. It was now a much bigger hospital ready to hold many.  
  
Floor ten was the large library, plenty of seats and enough books to make a librarian faint, not to mention the new instant messaging system as well as the internet.  
  
Floor eleven held the quad, and also parking vehicles that were shuttled to the bottom floor. In the south were the giant classrooms for all of the learning.  
  
Finally, on floor twelve was the grand and amazing bridge, and of course AWACS in the event that any aircraft were deployed.  
  
In all it could easily have held the populations from all three gardens and any large group of people that wanted to visit.  
  
Cid sat on a bench next to his wife.  
  
"I don't know why the president did this. It must have cost millions of gil. And because of a voice in his head! I think it's a wonder that Esthar completed this in only a few months, Edea."  
  
"You should be flattered, they asked you to be the headmaster" Edea said with a smile o her face.  
  
"Hah. You're only happy because they wanted you to be headmistress."  
  
"Well, I'm sure that with a garden as big as this there will be plenty of available jobs for command."  
  
Cid took another look at the large garden.  
  
"You bet."  
  
***  
  
"I can't believe this!" Regent Cid stumbled through the crowd going to Esthar Garden.  
  
"I thought we would go home, but I find myself on some far planet!?"  
  
Not paying attention, Cid bumped into a student.  
  
"Hey, watch it!"  
  
"Terribly sorry"  
  
The man looked around, hoping to find his daughter amidst the large crowd.  
  
***  
  
The Esthar soldiers looked about ready to race into position and to keep the newcomers from entering, but President Loire immediately told them to stand down.  
  
Kiros looked at his friend.  
  
"Hey, if Commander Leonhart is among them then you can tell him about you're 'secret'"  
  
Laguna's face became pale at the thought of what he would soon have to do.  
  
"That can wait, right?"  
  
Kiros and Ward shook their heads.  
  
***  
  
Squall led the crowd towards the new garden that they had heard so much about. As they came closer, there were gasps at the sheer size. Everyone was reminded of Galbadia garden, except this one was shades of dark and light purple, and many times bigger.  
  
Everyone stopped at the large double doors. Squall went up too it, they seemed automatic. There were symbols that signified it was airtight when closed and only operational when the ship was grounded. Oren landed next to him from the sky.  
  
"Laguna told me this would be voice activated . . .  
  
"You talked to Laguna?" Squall looked to him expecting an explanation.  
  
"I'll tell you about it later. Touch the pad."  
  
There was a glowing blue pad about half the size of a mouse pad that Squall touched.  
  
"Verify name." The emotionless female computer voice said.  
  
"Squall Leonhart, commander"  
  
"Voice and name recognized. Squall Leonhart, registered commander; twelve registrations pending."  
  
Squall looked at Oren.  
  
"I think it wants you to assign positions"  
  
"That guy is right. Assign pilot"  
  
The two stared at the computer. Who had taught it to say that?  
  
"Nida Remington, pilot."  
  
"Assign second in command"  
  
"Quistis Trepe, second in command"  
  
"Assign captain"  
  
"Uh, Xu Volcina, captain"  
  
"Assign food distributor"  
  
"This is getting ridiculous.how about Zell Dincht?"  
  
"Assign event producer"  
  
"Ooh!" There was a squeal and Selphie pushed her way to the front.  
  
"Selphie Tilmitt! Selphie Tilmitt!" she yelled.  
  
"Denied. The only recognized voice is of Squall. Try again, cowgirl" the computer once again shocked everyone.  
  
She gave Squall a pleading look.  
  
"Selphie Tilmitt" he said.  
  
"Assign head librarian"  
  
"I don't know! How about Valerie Smith?"  
  
"Assign weapons instructor"  
  
"Dreda Thomson"  
  
"Assign computer maintenance director.heh heh"  
  
Oren looked at Squall.  
  
"Did the computer just laugh?"  
  
"Oren Murasaki"  
  
"Whoa! I don't know anything about computers!"  
  
"Assign janitorial director. Make this someone you hate"  
  
Seifer came up to Squall by the door.  
  
"Everyone wants to know what the holdup is puberty boy"  
  
"Seifer Almasy"  
  
"Hey! What did you just do?"  
  
"He made you janitorial director, bub"  
  
"Did that computer just call me bub? And WHAT!? What did I do!"  
  
"Assign battle director"  
  
"Uobuo Nematsu"  
  
"Assign head medical doctor"  
  
"Virginia Kadowaki"  
  
"Assign disciplinary committee director"  
  
"Seifer Almasy" Seifer said in a voice that sounded like Squalls.  
  
"It will never accept that. It isn't that dumb. Besides, you can't have two jobs" Squall said smartly.  
  
"Just for that, I will register Seifer Almasy as the head of discipline, and you can be both commander and head janitor," the computer said finally, opening the doors.  
  
"AHHH! Not fair!"  
  
"You had it coming for making me janitor"  
  
The crowd pushed in, and all murmuring came to a hush as they saw the beautiful twelve-foot garden complete with everything. First there was silence, and then chaos as everyone rushed to the elevators and up the stairs to get first pick on dorms.  
  
"I guess we have a lot of work to do. . . muttered Squall looking on as everyone rushed to explore the brand-new garden. There was an impressed look on his face, though, when he saw Cid and Edea Kramer sitting at the center bench.  
  
***  
  
Kiros Ward and Laguna stood at the front of the garden as the last people rushed in. He heard a rumble, as the pilots were already ready to take off.  
  
"Whoa! They're F-15 ACTIVEs in here! I can't wait to fly one of these!"  
  
They smiled to each other as they heard the impressed students and others make comments.  
  
Laguna had dismissed the soldiers to regain positions in the city and that he would be gone for a while.  
  
"Lets check it out!" Laguna pushed his friends in.  
  
"Laguna! We shouldn't be in here! They're taking off any minute!"  
  
Ward's expressions mirrored Kiros' words.  
  
"Don't worry guys!"  
  
The doors automatically slammed shut.  
  
"Heh heh, suckers!"  
  
Laguna, Kiros, and Ward exchanged wide-eyed looks.  
  
"Did that computer just laugh at us, or are the years getting to me?" Laguna asked his friends. In a blast, the ship lifted off and was soon at fifteen thousand feet.  
  
Kiros and Ward narrowed their eyes and stared at the guy to whom they wondered why they hadn't thrown out of the presidential palace years ago.  
  
"Laguna, Laguna, despite your middle-age, your duties as a president, both helped by your talent for chaos, you have trapped us in another wonderful mess for the three hundred and fifty-seventh time. Why oh why do you torment us so?"  
  
"You've been keeping coun--"  
  
"ANSWER ME!!"  
  
"Uh, we can have fun!"  
  
Ward started choking Laguna.  
  
"Help! Kiros help!"  
  
"Ward violence is not the answer. Our ancestors built Esthar on grounds of kindness, and love, and--oh hell, die Laguna!"  
  
Kiros aided Ward in ridding the world of the black-haired menace.  
  
***  
  
Nida's eyes were wide as he enjoyed his new pilots seat in the middle of a large dome shaped room where he could clearly see where he was flying.  
  
It was so much better! He had a seat, places for food and drink, and space! Oh the space! He even had a cool hat and badge; it was all he could ever want. And, get this, an autopilot! That's right! AUTOPILOT! Everything he had imagined in the greatness of one cockpit was here. Nothing could ruin his day.  
  
Squall sat down in the commander's chair in the large purple and blue dome shaped bridge. A massive improvement. He grabbed his own personalized intercom system speaker.  
  
"Hello, garden. Well, you are all probably acquainted. I have received word that our first trip is to Trabia Garden to consolidate students. Meal times are posted, and the cafeteria officials have taken positions. There is a large supply of hot dogs and everyone can eat as many as they can"  
  
"WHHOOOEEEE!"  
  
"YAAAAHOOOO!"  
  
"OHHH YEAH!"  
  
"BOOOYA BABY!"  
  
"HOT DOGGLES!"  
  
"HYNE HAS BLESSED US ALL!"  
  
Even on the bridge the shouts of students could be heard.  
  
"The training facility has new things to offer. There is now a pool in the dorm area. Classes are as documented. Keep in mind; however, this is still a military academy and NOT a playground, so remember your duties. You are free to do whatever you wish for today, no curfew until twelve a.m. today. Keep in mind you will resume your normal schedule tomorrow. You may also have seen visitors in garden, treat them with respect, for they and others will undergo necessary training. Lastly, we have discovered a local radio network that is NOT to be used as means of entertainment but indeed an educational network hosted by Quistis Trepe every six 'o clock a.m. Monday through Saturday. That is all"  
  
It was a general announcement in the new gigantic garden. But in fact there were many more complications that would have to be solved if this place was going to be livable and orderly. Squalls only worry was that people would be too busy having fun. Not that that was bad, it was just that this was a military academy that needed soldiers, not fun loving teenagers. Those could be found anywhere.  
  
Nida picked up the intercom.  
  
"Students of garden we are now at thirty-one thousand feet and climbing. I am your pilot, Nida! Everyone knows me, so we'll skip the boring stuff. Please keep your heads and appendages in the vehicle at all times. Our estimated arrival time is three thirty-four p.m. in the afternoon tomorrow. Consolidation with Trabia and Galbadia will begin shortly. And save some hot dogs for me!"  
  
Everyone on the bridge gave Nida a look. The announcements weren't supposed to be unofficial, but he had a talent for informal ones.  
  
***  
  
Tidus walked with Yuna by his side along the perimeter of the gigantic lower floor of garden. He had never seen one, but being in one like this had been quite an experience. He sat on the bench with her and took in the scenery of just that one area.  
  
"This place is gigantic! Maybe I should become a student here!"  
  
Irvine took a seat next to him.  
  
"Sorry, but enrollment is only open to those guys five to thirteen"  
  
"Shucks"  
  
"We already know each other, but for more formal terms, my name is Irvine Kinneas" he extended a hand that Tidus took with a smile.  
  
"Tidus" he said.  
  
"And who's the lovely lady?"  
  
"Yuna" she recited her name through blushing cheeks.  
  
"No last names?"  
  
Tidus gave him a sideways look.  
  
"Last names? Why would you want two names?"  
  
"Uh, never mind. I guess where you're from must be a little different. What exactly did you do that was so great?"  
  
Tidus ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Well, its actually kind of a long story. . . did you do?"  
  
"Its probably a long story too" Irvine shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  
  
"I hear this guy wants to bring back Ultimecia. I still don't understand why. He's asking for trouble"  
  
"I don't know who that is, but Seymour I know is bad news" Yuna said from next to Tidus.  
  
"He brought chaos to Spira. We had to kill him four times" Tidus added in.  
  
Irvine gave a long whistle.  
  
"We only had to kill Ultimecia once, but what sucks is she was from the future. Our purpose is never really served, because she is only born again later on"  
  
"You have it tough too, huh? Why are you talking to us?" Tidus suddenly wondered aloud.  
  
"Oh! That Murasaki guy said that we should 'intermingle' and 'integrate' and communicate and stuff like that. Don't ask me. But its actually been nice talking to you" he stood up and tipped his hat.  
  
"I'll see you all again sometime I hope, I have a place to be"  
  
Both Yuna and Tidus stood and waved goodbye.  
  
"Perhaps we should 'intermingle', too. If we have to work with people we're not comfortable around, then the task may be difficult"  
  
Tidus nodded his head, slightly understanding.  
  
***  
  
Headmaster Cid had heard about the other three Cids, and wanted to talk to them. He noticed that they were all examining the planes on floor two.  
  
He walked to them and tried a formal introduction.  
  
"Hello, I am the headmaster of this garden, Cid. I thought it would be nice to talk to all of you, seeing as you were fellow Cids."  
  
The Regent gave a chuckle.  
  
"To get into the 'club' you have to be an aviator of some sort. I build ships that can run on mist"  
  
"I used to make ships for Shinra, then kept them for myself"  
  
"And I'm the technical captain of one of machina"  
  
"Well, I didn't do anything like that, but I am quite knowledgeable of them, and commandeered the mobile Balamb Garden for a while. I come to you because Nida requested some co-pilots. I think that we would fit the job perfectly"  
  
Cid Highwind spoke up.  
  
"Don't you find it strange that all four of us have two things in common from across space? This must be a calling or something."  
  
The headmaster nodded.  
  
"Yes, I think so too. But since I have found you, would it be alright if we went to the bridge and made our formal requests as pilots?"  
  
Various characters from around garden noticed various members from the groups of Cids as they made their way to the bridge.  
  
***  
  
Oren lay back in the bed of his room. Of course a Zatach didn't need to sleep, but rest was still good.  
  
This situation may not be hopeless. We just consolidate, train a bit, revive a few allies be the transition into the farplane seems simple, but I don't know how we could be interfered with. And my power is dwindling. Right now this whole garden wouldn't be enough for the power of Eta. Half the world couldn't fight Theta. I don't even know if Iota is unbeatable or not.  
  
Oren stood bolt upright in bed.  
  
"I will begin to train them as we make to trip to Trabia!"  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: It's about time, eh? They've made it into Esthar garden, and now the real stuff will begin. Bringing back allies and even enemies, harnessing new strengths, not even knowing when enemies will attack them. After nine chapters, this storing begins to heat up. A burning that I will try not to halt until the end. 


	10. Chapter 10: Kappa

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Ten: Kappa  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Kappa, there's a freak. Far too obsessed with women. . . HEY! We attack today!  
  
Esthar Garden was soon at Trabia. The students had been excited to meet some old friends; especially Selphie and other Trabia transfer students. Afterwards the garden had made its way to Galbadia Garden, which was hidden in the mountains around the D-District Prison.  
  
When Nida had asked the next destination, Oren had sighed.  
  
Nida wondered why. He couldn't be depressed about the crowds; there was more than enough space for them in Esthar Garden.  
  
"Nida, where I will go there is no way that the garden can take me, but thank you for your help. Could you make an announcement asking Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Cloud, Tifa, and Rinoa to come to the conference room? I would also like you to clear the place out over the intercom"  
  
Nida gave a nervous glance across the bridge to Squall, who nodded his hair. Nida had always been hesitant when talking to Oren because he couldn't seem to trust that blue glow. He felt that someone should ask him. Could it be a Zatach thing?  
  
"All students in and around the conference area please clear temporarily. Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockheart, and Rinoa Heartily please report to the conference room." Nida said over the speaker.  
  
Oren turned his head to Squall.  
  
"I would like you there too" he said.  
  
The two left the bridge and went to the separate room on the twelfth floor; the conference room. The people called were just finishing the elevator ride into the middle.  
  
"That was fast," said Squall.  
  
"Elevators are virtually everywhere, you know. Its hard not to get here fast" Rinoa explained.  
  
The eight people took their seats at the long oblong table, Oren remained standing at the head.  
  
"What I'm about to tell you all will be very easy and very hard at the same time. I have the power in me from the inheritance of Omega to bring a few people back from the farplane. From those of you that don't know, that is a dimension into the world of the dead that is accessible from Spira"  
  
Oren looked more nervous.  
  
"Currently we are a few feet around one, right under us in the sand. There is a cavern that also has the same effect as the farplane.I can't explain what it is very well. Yuna, would you mind?"  
  
She took a short breath, slightly startled that she had been recognized.  
  
"The farplane is a place where spirits of the dead roam and images of them can be seen through thought. Although I didn't know there was more than one"  
  
"Nicely put. Now in this cavern it is very similar to the farplane on Spira. You heard what I was saying before. It will take a while to train you all until you are more of a match, but in the meantime we need auxiliary troops to back us up. The most powerful I can think of are Sephiroth, Seymour, and Ultimecia"  
  
The group cringed and their faces became bitter.  
  
"I don't know much, but I do know that Pyros and his men plan to attack today, very soon. So, can I have your cooperation? Please? I beg of you, they may be horrible enemies, but you must tolerate their presence. I will send them back when their time is up"  
  
Cloud stood up and spoke.  
  
"I still don't think that you know these guys like we do, but if you insist you have to agree to let us stop them by any means necessary if they go crazy."  
  
"Agreed" Oren said immediately.  
  
"Oren?" Lulu addressed him.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How did you know Pyros' men were attacking?"  
  
". . . I'll tell you when the time comes. It's actually rather embarrassing"  
  
Lulu was not one to pursue evaded topics.  
  
"Well when are we going?" Cloud asked.  
  
"Now, if you want"  
  
In a flash of blue the party was in the dark.  
  
"Geez! You have to teach us how to do that," Tidus said from an unknown position.  
  
"I will, believe me. Now everyone think lovely thoughts"  
  
The group was eager to comply and the room light up.  
  
Everyone save Wakka, Lulu, Tidus, and Yuna jumped back. Pyreflies floated everywhere and the ground gave way to a steep slope of immense beauty, flower fields and streams and even a strange blue sun.  
  
"Where are we?" Squall asked.  
  
"Now you are seeing pyreflies that wandered from Spira" Oren explained.  
  
"Wandered from Spira?" Yuna questioned.  
  
"Yes. Pyreflies travel all over the universe and gather at secret places like this unreachable by things with any less power than a Zatach. This is somewhere in this planet's core. And I recommend you take out your weapons."  
  
No one realized what he was talking about, but all was remembered when they noticed Oren walking to the edge and glowing blue.  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor."  
  
He chanted with his hands clasped together.  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor.SEYMOUR!"  
  
Tidus' group tensed at the sudden mention and stood on end ready for a fight.  
  
After a few seconds, they relaxed.  
  
"Nothing happened" Lulu noted aloud.  
  
"That's strange" Oren looked around, the blue leaving his body. "He is nowhere to be found! This should have worked somehow."  
  
"Well I'm actually kind of glad that it didn't wo-wo-woah!" Tidus changed his mood in mid-sentence. For behind the group, in a sudden flash, a familiar half-Guado half human man with spiky blue hair and recognizable veins on his forehead appeared. There was only one detail in the appearance that made everything much easier and stranger at the same time. The arrival that they expected to be hostile was actually. . .  
  
"He's sleeping!" Wakka stated the obvious. The former maester was asleep in a pile, eyes closed, seemingly innocent.  
  
"What the he-" Yuna immediately put a hand over her mouth. She had been so surprised that she had actually come close to defiling her careful discipline.  
  
Oren had no input however, as he was calling the next to the world.  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor. . . ULTIMECIA!" This time the effects were more immediate. A chair landed on the ground. Two carefully manicured hands were holding a newspaper. . . and the owner didn't seem to even look up. Squall almost dropped his gunblade and chuckles echoed. Ultimecia seemed so preoccupied that she didn't even notice.  
  
"We will alert her later, I need her like this for now." Oren said briefly.  
  
Then, Oren began what was really most feared.  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor. . . SEPHIROTH!" Cloud had dropped his sword and Tifa her guard because they really didn't expect much from Sephiroth, seeing as the other two were simply being silly, but when he came, they were surprised. At the time he was in the middle of a practice slash with the Masamune. And because of that the second he appeared. . .  
  
SHHIIINK  
  
The sword held by Sephiroth curved down in an arc and smashed the ground directly to the left of Cloud into nothing.  
  
The fighter instinctively grabbed his sword and jumped back.  
  
"You missed!" He said, aggressiveness in his voice. Making his presence known was a grave mistake.  
  
"What? What? Well if it isn't Cloud, my beautiful worse half, what are you doing in the world of the dead?"  
  
Sephiroth hadn't quite grasped where he was.  
  
"So I find that you are here? What did you say about me?"  
  
Cloud, with a scowl on his face pointed to the decimated ground.  
  
"I said you missed"  
  
His face twisted into the fowl expression of hatred that was all too familiar.  
  
"Well that's too bad!" He slammed his sword downwards in another arc, this time actually aiming at Cloud.  
  
With catlike reflexes he sidestepped, but only because he was more alert this time.  
  
"I thought you had died! But I'll have to take care of you personally, I see"  
  
"I beat you once and I can beat you again" Cloud's sword began glowing and Tifa retreated to the sidelines. Everyone picked up the hint and cleared the area.  
  
"Omni--"  
  
"Sephiroth?" Ultimecia peeked from over the newspaper and looked at the silver-haired titan.  
  
"Where is that familiar thwack? I thought that you were practicing your sword skills?  
  
Did you stop?"  
  
Sephiroth sheathed his sword and turned to face her.  
  
"In case you haven't noticed, wretch, we are in the world of the living. Something's 'up', and you haven't even looked up. And that wannabe bad- guy" he jerked a thumb at the still sleeping Seymour "has completely given up on becoming any stronger. He spends his days sleeping. I actually care about eliminating our foes, and I have actually trained for this day, so I recommend that you use your magic on your foes and pull a rabbit out of your hat or something"  
  
Ultimecia dropped the paper and floated to her feet, her normal red dress completely visible, the makeup on her face gone, her hair down normally, and no shoes.  
  
"Well who are they?"  
  
Rinoa redrew the Shooting Star and Squall took Lionheart back out of its sheath.  
  
"You must be kidding me. I couldn't beat them even when I could transform and you want me to fight them normally? I think not. Sephiroth, we're here for a reason so you had better calm down and find out that reason."  
  
Squall was actually quite surprised at the sensible and cooperative attitude his former enemy rendered. He knew nothing about Seymour or that Sephiroth character, but he didn't think that his fear was really a fear anymore.  
  
Seymour started to toss and turn, and then woke up.  
  
"Ahhh!" he yelled like Tidus never thought he would. At first he thought it was because of him, but then, he noticed it was because his face was drenched in sweat as if from a bad dream. He wiped his face with the back of the Guado Maester garments that he had worn so often. Then he took one look at Tidus and looked like he was going to throw up.  
  
"My nightmare came true!" he jumped impossibly high for any other being and landed behind Ultimecia's dress, trying to hide.  
  
"Who is responsible for this? Did you bring me here to get me killed again? I find once enough. Just leave me be, I don't wish to have my naps interrupted."  
  
Sephiroth walked over, looked him over like he was analyzing him, and then kicked his boot into his backside.  
  
"OOF!"  
  
"Heh heh heh."  
  
"SEPHIROTH! WHY DID YOU KICK MY HINDQUARTERS!"  
  
"You lazy baboon. You cower in fear against those that you once controlled. You're a coward. And your outfit sucks. Very badly I must say. It is no wonder they killed you, fashion blunder! They killed you because you look like a priest!"  
  
Yuna started giggling. Seymour looked at her as if a bully had busted him in front of his girlfriend.  
  
"W-well Cloud killed you because you look like a pimp!"  
  
The laughter immediately subsided and everyone gasped as Sephiroth looked him right in the eye and picked him up by the collar.  
  
"What did you say, punk?"  
  
"Leave him alone" Ultimecia said stepping away. "You do look like a pimp"  
  
"Well, you look like a whore!"  
  
Everyone gasped again.  
  
Ultimecia put a hand over her mouth and her evil eyes widened dangerously, but  
  
Sephiroth didn't look satisfied.  
  
"An ass whore!" He pulled Seymour and backed away.  
  
"Stay away my ass!" He said protectively.  
  
"You. . . you. . . you. . . "  
  
"Enough. It's about time I intervene. I was worried that you characters would kill my friends, but now it seems you'll kill each other. This would have been good, two months ago, but now we need you so calm down and listen up."  
  
The three turned to Oren.  
  
"Okay, I'll tell you what we need. . . "  
  
Sephiroth nodded his head.  
  
"And who the hell are you?"  
  
"I'm the guy that brought you back. And I can send you back if you know what I mean.  
  
Now I need you too. . ."  
  
"How do we really know?" Seymour asked. "You could have done something else and claim power over us, we have no verification"  
  
"Well, I could revive maybe one more. Any requests?"  
  
"AERIS!" Cloud yelled with renewed vigor, but at the same time, Tidus yelled. "SIR AURON!"  
  
"Aeris? I thought I killed that bitch for good. . . " Sephiroth muttered loudly so Cloud could hear.  
  
"Shut your damn mouth Sephiroth!" Cloud pointed his sword at him provocatively.  
  
"What are you going to do? Impale me with that ridiculous haircut of yours?"  
  
Tifa tried to stifle a laugh. Sephiroth looked at her in satisfaction. Cloud looked in anger and she was immediately quiet.  
  
"If Auron died of natural causes, and this other was killed, then it wouldn't be fair" Yuna put a hand on Tidus' shoulder.  
  
"I don't know what makes you all think I'll just let this happen. I'll simply call Meteor to kill you all and withdraw energy from the planet again. Mr. Insignificant was a fool for bringing me back"  
  
"That would be right if you were on the same planet." Oren said to Sephiroth. "Calling Meteor won't work here. Besides, the black materia is gone."  
  
". . . Shut up"  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor. . . AURON!"  
  
"Hey!" Tifa yelled.  
  
Oren hadn't heard the decision, lost patience, and chose Auron.  
  
Wakka suddenly stood up ready to welcome the legendary guardians presence.  
  
With a flash the familiar dark figure in the red cloak and sunglasses ran at an all out sprint to what they soon noticed was. . . Seymour, seeming to prepare for a spell.  
  
SLAAASH!  
  
Blood flew as a ball of energy flew out of Seymour's hand and disappeared, daunted by the quick thinking guardian.  
  
"Darn Spirans! I was going to blow them all sky high! You always interfere--what in Yevon's name?"  
  
Seymour was standing face to face with Auron, staring right into his golden eyes, but something was wrong.  
  
"Sir Auron?" Yuna asked expectantly, hoping that he would turn to face them and they could reunite.  
  
When he did turn, she was shocked. This Auron appeared to be twenty to thirty years younger.  
  
"A pleasant surprise" he said in his voice that was once deep and dark, but now one of early adulthood. The scar that one ran the length of his eye had disappeared.  
  
"Surprised?" said Oren, still glowing. "Technically, I bring the person back to the way they were right before they died. The Auron you knew had aged a quick ten years from being in the farplane, then ten more from being on Spira as an unsent. So now he appears probably twenty or twenty-five, seeing as that was when he actually died. . . "  
  
He found Auron staring at him.  
  
"Who might you be?"  
  
"I'll introduce myself later. I still actually have power for three more people--"  
  
"AERIS!" Cloud yelled almost before Oren could finish.  
  
"I thought you were just a geezer!" said Seymour.  
  
"I thought he was just an old fart," said Sephiroth.  
  
Auron showed no reaction, but went to reunite with his friends.  
  
"Sir Auron!" Yuna embraced him. "You're so young. . . and handsome"  
  
"HEY! He's not that good-looking. Gawd. You leave a girl alone and. . . this? I didn't know you hated me. If you wanted to dump me--"  
  
She started blushing furiously and shook her head.  
  
"Never! You were just returned to me and--I wouldn't--I'd never--"  
  
"Take it easy! It was just a joke!" Tidus put his hands up defensively.  
  
"Boy, Rikku would be happy to see you OUCH!" Lulu elbowed Wakka hard in the ribs.  
  
"Damn, ya?"  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor. . . AERIS!"  
  
***  
  
Jecht and Braska swam around in the farplane, looking for Auron who had seemingly disappeared.  
  
"Where did that geezer go? I thought he said he wouldn't move to another part?" Jecht was a hair short of furious.  
  
"I'm sure there must be some explanation. He wouldn't pull me from my wife if he wasn't going to be at the meeting spot." Braska thought aloud.  
  
"I got a wife down here too. He's probably just jealous because the only person he has is that one who's hand he refused. She's been on his ass forever"  
  
". . . I'd rather you didn't speak that way"  
  
"Heh. I forgot, summoners have to be big goody-goodies. You're no worse than that crybaby son of mine"  
  
"You were cold to him even in the minutes of your death?"  
  
"My death? I never died!" Jecht lied.  
  
"You got here somehow, my friend" Braska countered.  
  
"HEY! I could leave here whenever I wanted"  
  
"Try"  
  
". . ."  
  
"?" Braska gave a questioning look.  
  
". . . "  
  
"Well?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Spira to Jecht?"  
  
"I'm trying, okay!"  
  
***  
  
"Alright, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa?" Farfy walked back and forth in front of the four.  
  
"Here." Eta said. Her hair was crystal blue, flowing behind her matching outfit.  
  
"Here" Theta paced around feeling his wrist. He was a taller, stronger, one with an urge to face Oren. He felt his wrists, where the Theta generator was. He felt a strong urge to avenge Omega, who had been his best friend. He wore the standard white uniform with matching boots, contradictory to his dark complexion.  
  
"Here" Iota said in the smooth voice that always made Farfy shiver. So gentle yet so cold. . . A beautiful killer, she had the highest elimination record and was known for never getting a scratch in battle, as well as ever cutting her long black hair that was contradicted by the white outfit she wore like Theta.  
  
Kappa didn't say here. He was just gawking at all the females.  
  
"Uh, here" he said after a while. He was just fifteen really, very young. Everyone else was usually between the ages of thirty and thirty-five, so he was the youngest. This was a fact: Kappa could easily have killed everyone in Alexandria when Alpha through Zeta were there. Not only that, but also he and his other four companions could have killed  
  
Alpha through Zeta single handedly. Unless Oren and his army, if they could even be called that, had a trump card, then they were as good as dead. Kappa was a kid with messy blonde hair and green eyes that had a wild streak in them. He refused to wear a uniform, just a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Pyros had eventually decided that he would act as a spy, but unfortunately that trick had only worked once the time when he tried to kill Oren and Jessica three years ago disguised as an escaped Zatach, which he actually was.  
  
***  
  
"Et un stilla mor pavelor. . . JECHT! BRASKA!"  
  
Tidus and Yuna's jaws basically hit the ground. Had Oren found energy for more? They didn't pay attention to Cloud and Tifa.  
  
"Oh my God" Cloud and Tifa said at the same time. Standing before them with her eyes closed waving her soft auburn hair was the one they had cried over losing. The anger from Sephiroth lifted and diminished. Their problems seemed to eliminate themselves, and the two stared for two seconds at the miracle in a pink dress. Aeris Gainsborough's life had completely removed anything they had felt and replaced it with one wonderful and amazing feeling. Joy.  
  
For a few seconds none of the three moved, and then they rushed to each other in a flurry of emotions. Without waiting, all three found themselves in a deep embrace, tears running down their cheeks.  
  
"Aeris. Tell me its really you" Cloud tightened his embrace at the thought of his countless dreams.  
  
"Tifa, Cloud, I was watching you from the lifestream, but its so much better to see you here. I missed you both like nothing else"  
  
They hesitantly withdrew from the embrace.  
  
"Who brought me here?"  
  
Cloud still holding a wide grin pointed at Oren, who was on the ground panting. He held up his hand.  
  
"Thank me. . . later. . . tired. . . " he lay on his back as he tried not to fall asleep.  
  
"Zatach. . . don't need. . . " he fell asleep and began snoring lightly.  
  
Meanwhile, Yuna and Tidus were having emotional frenzies. Yuna, who hadn't seen her father alive in ten years, was now looking at him seemingly not a day older.  
  
Tears rolled down her eyes in immense joy. First Tidus, Auron, Jecht, and her father?  
  
All doubts about Oren were erased. If a man could be so kind as to do all this, he could not possibly mean any harm. In a few seconds, Yuna became ten years younger.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
Braska had been staring at his hands, wondering where he was. He didn't care when he saw Yuna.  
  
"Yunie? My little Yunie? My goodness, you're my size!"  
  
She rushed into his arms, hearing her sob softly against his chest. She pinched him sharply on the chest.  
  
"Yow" was all he said.  
  
"You're here. Daddy. . . " The light sobs became uncontrollable.  
  
"Oh, Yuna. It breaks my heart to hear you cry. After so long, I never thought I would hold you again, only watch from the farplane."  
  
She held her head up in amazement.  
  
"Watch?"  
  
"Of course." He continued to embrace her.  
  
"Let me see your eyes, Yunie"  
  
She exposed her brilliant eyes, one green and one blue.  
  
"Heavens! You're eyes are just as pretty as before."  
  
"Daddy. . . "  
  
"You've grown into quite a woman, Yuna. I'm glad I can be with you."  
  
Jecht crossed his arms and looked at Tidus, not excited because he had only died recently.  
  
"Well if it isn't my crybaby, fat-ass, big-headed boy." Jecht said in the same voice that Tidus had once taken offense to.  
  
"My always-drunk, no-good, tan-as-hell, geezer of a dad? Come here!" Jecht's eyes widened when Tidus tackled him with a bear hug.  
  
"What the hell? I thought you hated me?"  
  
"I do. But I like you more than I hate you dad" Tidus kept a straight face without crying.  
  
Somehow he felt that this was supposed to happen, as if he wasn't excited because he expected this.  
  
"You're not going to cry, are you? You always cry. I'm going back if you cry again, I-"  
  
Jecht stopped himself in mid-sentence and started crying himself.  
  
"Who am I kiddin'? My son loves me!" He released tears that he had bottled up.  
  
"Dad, are you crying?"  
  
Jecht looked up through tears and said sarcastically:  
  
"No, I have a speck of dust in my eye the size of Braska's ego"  
  
"I heard that, Jecht"  
  
"I know"  
  
Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris were chatting busily and happily like schoolyard kids, all youth and happiness restored. They almost forgot about the steaming form of Sephiroth, clutching the hilt of the Masamune almost to the point of breaking.  
  
"Hey, I am still here! Do not ignore me!"  
  
Cloud and Tifa cringed, fearing that Aeris would be traumatized at the voice. But, she simply turned and smiled.  
  
"You tried killing me, but not only did you foil your own plan, but you made my presence more appreciated and enjoyable. I have almost half a mind to thank you"  
  
That got Sephiroth good and angry. He turned to his allies for support.  
  
"Don't look at me, I'm just a priest!" said Seymour.  
  
"I'm just an ass-whore, ignore me" Ultimecia twirled in her red dress and turned her nose up.  
  
"Hey, I'm a pimp, we can work things out"  
  
Tidus, Yuna, Jecht, Braska, Auron, Wakka, and Lulu had formed a small cluster by now.  
  
Jecht took one look at Auron and gasped.  
  
"Not fair! I still look like a geezer, and you guys look ten years younger"  
  
"Don't forget you didn't age when merging with the final aeon. You're still ten years behind your time"  
  
"Perhaps he just ages faster than the two of you" Lulu didn't intend it, but Auron and Braska started chuckling over a very angry Jecht.  
  
Oren was soon able to get up.  
  
"Everyone, I am glad that I was able to bring together your allies, and also, what I'm hoping to be formal enemies. But--"  
  
"Hey!" Sephiroth poked a finger into Oren's chest, surrounded by Seymour and Ultimecia.  
  
"I will not ally at all. Don't think that I wouldn't hesitate to murder you all, some of you again!" He gestured to Aeris, who couldn't help but wince.  
  
"Sephiroth and friends, you are very powerful, are equipped with great magic, and can fly. You might actually stand a chance against--"  
  
"Me"  
  
The crowd turned their hair to a boy much younger than anyone else, of about fifteen, blonde hair, and normal clothing.  
  
"You know me, Oren," he said simply.  
  
"Kappa" Oren responded quite as simply.  
  
"Yep. You're 'auxiliary' has a reason to fight"  
  
Oren looked at the three not-so-good persons and nodded.  
  
"As you can see, he plans on dealing a lethal blow to the party here, so it is actually a good thing that I brought you back when I did. He plans on going after you first, so you really have no choice"  
  
Ultimecia put a hand on her chin as if in deep thought, then her two black wings sprouted completely from her back and she slowly took flight, her body glowing with black static.  
  
Seymour followed this example by moving himself into his second transformation. He became laced and covered with steel and an intricate design like a peacock tail behind him. He was able to hover above the air.  
  
"Then let him try to even touch us," he said in a robotic voice.  
  
Tidus and his partial party were surprised that he could still do this.  
  
"What the heck?" Jecht questioned casually.  
  
Sephiroth decided that he had stayed normal enough, and went to the form that he planned revenge in. White feathers framed his face, his cloak dissolved off of his chest leaving it bare, and his lower portion an one arm were replaced with angelic feathers.  
  
Kappa eyed them, took his hands out of his pocket, and then took a look around him.  
  
There're some nice girls, I'll leave them alive, and their friends for a while I guess.  
  
He stared around him once more, took a long look at the three flying enemies, and closed his eyes for a split second before a violent flash.  
  
Everyone on the ground including Oren tried to prepare for some form of defense, but couldn't muster up the strength. As a matter of fact, they couldn't move at all. Kappa snapped his fingers and everyone save the airborne characters couldn't even move their eyes to seed the golden energy scythes at their necks.  
  
"Listen, I could just think it, and all of your heads would have gone rolling across the floor. I could have beaten you all at once save those three, and even with your friends it wouldn't have been much. If I come back, it will be with Iota or Lambda, and I won't feel guilty for killing you all. But, let me tell you, I would have killed you all if there weren't so many ladies around. The next time I come back, you all won't live to see any of my friends. You have to become a lot stronger, even to beat a kid like me." He paused in his speech and looked Oren directly in his immobile eye.  
  
"Oren" He let everyone know that that was his name.  
  
"I'm going to get you for killing Omega." His eyes flashed and somehow he moved.  
  
"You may kill me eventually, but let's get one thing straight. I didn't kill Omega!"  
  
"No one believes your lies. You can admit it already" With an anticlimactic disappearance, Kappa left them alone, everyone mobile once again.  
  
Sephiroth calmed down, and fluttered back to the ground, his clothes reappearing.  
  
Ultimecia tucked her wings back in and landed, and Seymour lost his metal exterior. The others figured that they could relax.  
  
"Everyone, I will return you to garden. Lulu, Wakka, I called you here for a reason so please stay."  
  
Oren waved a hand and everyone materialized back to Esthar Garden.  
  
"Lulu, Wakka, what I am about to tell you will be shocking. It is about Chappu"  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: You probably think Chappu's coming back too, huh? We'll just see about that.anyhow, in response to a review, Selphie isn't the librarian; the command for a librarian just came after she registered her name for something else. Also, I found that I thought this fic was long, but other fics have 33% more chapters, and up to 11000 more words a chapter! To compete with this, I will finish my other fic, and write a new one called The Trinity. It is an FFX fic for you FF lovers. It will have a lot of chapters and average whopping 15000 words a chapter. What's it about? I'll post it in three to six days, so just look for Blue Dragon, and The Trinity now and then if you like FFX. I'm doing this not just to compete with certain authors.*cough cough Frank Verderosa and Jeremy Chapter cough cough*, but I also need a third fic to support me, even longer than this. Anyway, I'll still update this one regularly and.I'll just shut up now. This AN is a little too long. . . 


	11. Chapter 11: Lambda

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Eleven: Lambda  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Lambda is about as fast as a blaze on steroids. You guys are doomed.  
  
Oren looked between Lulu, and Wakka, expectant looks mixed in with worry on their faces.  
  
"As you know by now, people continue to lead their lives in the world of the dead. You're friend Chappu is there. I don't have the strength to bring him out, I've used it all up and it cannot be recovered because of my depletion of power. But he wanted to talk to you."  
  
"How can my brudda talk to me from da farplane?" was Wakka's immediate question.  
  
"He can through my translation. The image you see when you think about him is just his current projection, but if he wants to say anything then it can't be filtered through to the world of the living without any outside interference. I will act as the interference."  
  
"We can talk him then?" Lulu stepped closer, her face that pasted a look of worry meaning expectancy.  
  
"Yes. I will make the link"  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth, Ultimecia, and Seymour blinked as they looked around the conference room.  
  
"Now that that's over. . . " Ultimecia walked out, saw a group of SeeDs and students looking the other way, and then turned around with her face paler than usual.  
  
"S-SeeDs! There must be hundreds! I remain here!" she moved a corner tapping her foot as if expecting all of the students to magically disappear.  
  
Cloud took a look at Sephiroth, who didn't seem to be willing to cause trouble. Key word: Seem.  
  
"I think that first I'll kill everyone here, make a hole in the planet, and then feed off of the energy! Ha!"  
  
"Dammit! You come back and the first thing you want to do is cause more mischief!" Cloud once again unsheathed the Ultima Weapon and gestured to his companions to do the same.  
  
Sephiroth stared at them from the other side of the room as if they had interrupted him from something pleasant.  
  
"Yes. I have to kill the three of you first, don't I?"  
  
"It only took three of us to beat you last time" Tifa pointed out.  
  
"Well I couldn't do THIS last time!"  
  
A black circle appeared under his feet and slowly got bigger as he prepared for a previously unseen attack.  
  
***  
  
A powerful energy signal clicked in Oren's head.  
  
"Sephiroth's up to no good" he said, preparing to teleport.  
  
"What about Chappu?" Lulu asked.  
  
"Oh yes. I will make the connection. Talk as long as you please"  
  
Oren disappeared in a familiar blue flash of light.  
  
Wakka and Lulu were doubtful, but walked to the edge of the farplane overlooking the beautiful fields.  
  
They thought about the lost man, and like so many times before, his image appeared. The eyes that they had become used to seeing on Tidus looked back at them.  
  
"Chappu?" Wakka asked the ghostly image that he had seen many times before, feeling ridiculous.  
  
"Wakka?" The image gained his own stance and moved his lips, emitting a voice that they heard more in their minds than their ears.  
  
"Chappu! Its really you, man! How have you been?"  
  
"Me, I'm fine. The farplane really isn't so bad once you get used to it. How are you, Lulu?"  
  
"Chappu. Where have you been for so long? You don't know there are people that care."  
  
He smiled sadly.  
  
"You haven't changed a bit have you? Still the same. The girl I loved"  
  
Lulu gave one of her rare smiles.  
  
"I have missed you, Chappu" she said again quietly.  
  
"You guys don't now how happy I am to see you, the two people closest to me. But now that we've talked some, there's something important I have to tell you both."  
  
Both went into listening position and looked at the deceased Besaidian intently.  
  
"Except I have to tell you individually. Lulu first, okay?" the ghostly image looked at Wakka.  
  
"Sure ting. I'll just be over dare" Wakka said, retaining his accent even in the most emotional of times.  
  
Chappu looked to Lulu.  
  
"Hey, I've noticed that you've been a little grumpy ever since I was gone"  
  
She tilted her head.  
  
"I was always grumpy"  
  
"Right. But even more so after I died. Especially towards Wakka, huh?"  
  
She looked down, telling Chappu he had hit the nail on the head.  
  
"Listen. I love you. I still love you, but now that I'm gone, I there's nothing I would love more than to see you move on. To-"  
  
"You want me to be with Wakka, don't you?"  
  
It was Chappu's turn to look down.  
  
"This may sound weird, but Wakka's my brother. And you were my girl. I love you both. Take care of each other. You don't have to be all mushy if you don't want, but try to be close to each other. And if you could be with him and maybe marry him--"  
  
"Marry him!"  
  
"Okay, maybe that's a little too far, but you know what I mean"  
  
Lulu gave him a look.  
  
"Fine. But only because you say so. And don't expect me to--"  
  
"I know, I know. You don't have to do anything serious you really don't want to."  
  
She nodded in agreement and walked over to Wakka, signaling that it was his turn.  
  
He walked over to Chappu's place at the side of the floating landmass, and wondered why he would need to speak with him alone.  
  
"Wakka, don't even try to hide it. You've had the hots for her since forever"  
  
"What! Did you come all this way just to say I was hitting on your girl?"  
  
"No, I'm here to say that we both loved her. That she both loved us"  
  
"She loved you way more, and you loved her--"  
  
"Wakka, please. I'm gone. Go to her. You love her, she loves you, I'm gone. You guys are lonely and you know it. If you won't do if for yourself, then do if for me. Please?"  
  
Wakka sighed.  
  
"If you say so. But I have to tell you, I can't promise that I'll just tro myself at her, ya? I don't exactly want to take your girl"  
  
"At least go to her. Please?"  
  
Wakka sighed.  
  
"Okay, but if I get haunted I'm out."  
  
Chappu smiled.  
  
"I won't haunt you. I promise. Now don't tell Lulu what I told you."  
  
"Deal"  
  
"Would you call her over? My time's almost up."  
  
Wakka waved over for Lulu to come, and she walked over.  
  
"Remember, I love you guys so don't let anything happen to yourselves. I don't want to see you in the farplane until your time"  
  
Both smiled.  
  
"I don't think that will be a problem"  
  
Lulu said with rare sarcasm.  
  
"I'll miss you Chappu. I'm so glad I could see you again"  
  
"I'll see you guys later. See my image at the farplane, okay?"  
  
Chappu started to fade, a smile still on his face as his image disappeared.  
  
Wakka and Lulu stared for a second, and then looked at each other.  
  
"Well, I suppose we should be getting back" Lulu said to Wakka.  
  
"Only one problem. Where's that Oren guy?"  
  
***  
  
'That Oren guy' was staring Sephiroth in the face.  
  
"As much as I would like to see you destroy half of the world and with it our hopes of this universe's salvation, I will have to decline. I promise you can go crazy once this is over in like a week, but please please PLEASE don't cause any trouble until this whole thing blows over."  
  
"Why should I listen to you!" he asked with rage, his eyes widening and the black hole disappearing.  
  
"I have Jessica with me"  
  
Sephiroth's mouth froze, he became a pale that looked foreign on his face, and the green basically drained from his eyes.  
  
"Oh. I apologize" he sheathed the Masamune and left.  
  
"Before you ask, Jessica and Sephiroth actually have a little past. But I don't have time to explain that now. You all will have to begin training in a few hours."  
  
Oren walked briskly out of the room as if he had somewhere to be.  
  
Another blue flash of light followed, and Wakka reappeared with Lulu.  
  
***  
  
Barret sat down on the bench, Marlene still in the room they shared. He felt like he didn't have a say in all that was happening, was on a different world, and forced to interact with people he barely knew.  
  
He saw Vincent staring blankly at a fountain. Of course nothing ever seemed to bother him. Not even the fact that he had suddenly been forced to accept a harsh new reality. Happy to a familiar face, even that of Vincent, Barret stood and walked over to him.  
  
"Hey there, what have you been up to"?  
  
"Don't I have a reflection?" The dark man asked out of the blue.  
  
"What?"  
  
"A reflection"  
  
Barret looked down to see the reflection Vincent clearly had.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"Shouldn't everything have a reflection?" he asked, looking at Barret.  
  
Barrett of course didn't know where he was going with this, but answered.  
  
"I guess so"  
  
"Then why, why why is everything and everyone that presides at this school referring to me as a vampire? I don't understand. I don't!"  
  
Vincent was suddenly angry and staring straight at Barret.  
  
"Whoa!" he jumped back. Vincent was already pretty scary, but when he was looking right at you like he wanted to kill you right there, it was enough to give you a heart attack.  
  
"Don't do that man! You scared the damn bejeezus outta me!" Barret exclaimed.  
  
"I'm sorry. The kids here are driving me crazy."  
  
"What was your name? Vincent Vampire?" a student asked as she walked by.  
  
"You see? These students are young, naïve, know very little about the horrors of the world"  
  
"I know what you mean" Amarant walked to the fountain and stood next to Vincent by the fountain.  
  
"They've been saying I've been from some place called Jamaica. And a few kept pullin' at my hair trying to see my eyes. Damn kids"  
  
Vincent nodded.  
  
"I think I'll just leave you two alone. I have to check on Marlene."  
  
Amarant and Vincent looked at each other with a sense of understanding.  
  
***  
  
Seifer had wanted to talk Jessica more, but couldn't seem to find her. Finally he spotted her in the gigantic training center. She seemed to be waiting for something.  
  
They were currently in the tropical area of the training facility, and whatever she was waiting for must have been concealed behind the large grove of trees that rustled slightly. Seifer watched from a safe distance.  
  
Jessica lost patience, picked up a rock, and hurled it with all of her might at bush. A monstrous cry and a puff of flame escaped, as the Ruby Dragon emerged and ran off.  
  
She put her hand to her forehead and shook her head in a sign of disapproval, her shockingly white hair swaying from side to side in its ponytail. Seifer emerged.  
  
"Hey"  
  
Jessica turned to him and smiled.  
  
"Hello there, Seifer. Can I help you with anything?"  
  
"Not really. I just wanted to talk if that's okay."  
  
"Oh, that's fine. What about?"  
  
"Well. . . " Seifer had a feeling about her, but was trying to get some of his points across without giving himself away. He ended up failing miserably.  
  
"If we were to get through this alive, then would you feel like, uh, talking to a boy?"  
  
It sounded completely lame to him, like he was a little schoolgirl talking to her friend.  
  
A slow smile crept over her.  
  
"I already like you, Seifer. You don't have to pretend"  
  
Seifer was more shocked than relieved.  
  
"Well, if this was over would you stay here?"  
  
She then looked as if she were in deep thought.  
  
"Well, I really have no where else to go, and this would be a nice planet. . . I don't see why not. Sure"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. Really."  
  
"Cool"  
  
There was temporary silence.  
  
"So are you and Oren planning on training us anytime soon?"  
  
"I really don't know the details, but he probably plans on getting you together today"  
  
"How long will it take us to learn all that stuff?"  
  
"Well, if he cheats a little and adds a little Zatach power, it should only take a few hours. You're already experienced fighters."  
  
Seifer let out a whistle.  
  
"I'd gladly give up a few hours to learn all of that."  
  
There was a distant stomping and a T-Rexaur burst out of a congestion of trees.  
  
"How about I teach you a little about the Zatach power right now?"  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth walked briskly down the hallway, thoughts about Jessica flooding his mind. He saw a small girl with red hair on his way to an empty room, near the middle of the circular floor where the dormitories were divided by sexes.  
  
He stopped and looked up at what she was trying to get. It was a blue ball with small bumps all over it.  
  
"I need to stop kicking those so high. . . . " she said, not noticing his presence.  
  
When she turned and saw him, she looked hopeful.  
  
"You're pretty tall." She said. "Could you get my blitzball down for me?"  
  
Sephiroth blinked like he didn't understand English, and then pulled out his sword. He reversed it and picked it up by the blade, poking the hilt up at the ledge where the ball was and freeing it. It landed in her arms.  
  
"Thanks! My name is Rikku."  
  
"Oh" he said, uninterested. He began to continue his path.  
  
"How about you?" Sephiroth didn't feel like answering, but he didn't feel like killing some teenager that wouldn't leave him alone.  
  
"Sephiroth"  
  
"That's a funny name"  
  
"And Rikku isn't?" he turned around sheathing the Masamune like he had been doing a lot recently, feeling deeply annoyed.  
  
"Do you want to go with me to the cafeteria? I'm a little hungry"  
  
He was again surprised, this time by the change of subject.  
  
"I'm not really hungry"  
  
His stomach growled as if to object to the previous statement.  
  
"On second thought, why not?"  
  
As the couple continued down the hallway towards the elevator, Rikku stared at Sephiroth. He noticed, and then turned to her.  
  
"Is my sword in backwards?"  
  
"You have weird hair. It's silver"  
  
". . . That's what happens when you're injected with JENOVA cells."  
  
"Je-whata cells?"  
  
"Never mind. You need not concern yourself with it."  
  
They stopped, when into the elevator, and it took them to the cafeteria level. Rikku still carried her blitzball.  
  
"How old are you?" she asked him as the elevator moved.  
  
He looked down at her.  
  
"That's really none of your business"  
  
"I was only asking. You look pretty young"  
  
"How old are you? Sixteen?"  
  
"About. But you don't look very old at all"  
  
"Its thanks to a little thing called Mako" Sephiroth got a little bored so he decided to go into a lecture on simpler terms about the uses and dangers of the powerful energy that basically put the planet into war.  
  
They reached the gigantic cafeteria, and ordered from the lower level. Rikku ordered a whole sandwich entrée, Sephiroth asked for a simple glass of water. At the table she chattered on about what she did on 'Spira' as an Al Bhed and it turned out she was actually involved in some pretty incredible events.  
  
He contemplated tricking her into letting him leave with no warning, but decided for some strange reason that he preferred to be around her.  
  
***  
  
Laguna, Kiros, and Ward had settled down and decided that if they were already on garden, then they might as well explore it. They were exploring the outside of the conference room when a big group of people and three more walked out. The three were Jecht, Braska and Auron. Laguna blinked at Jecht, Braska blinked at Kiros, and Auron blinked at Ward, vice versa.  
  
It seemed to be a weird group of six.  
  
"Uh, who might you be?" Laguna felt strangely obligated to say.  
  
"Excuse us. My name is Braska, and these two are Jecht and Auron" he said, gesturing towards them.  
  
"I'm Laguna, presi-" Kiros covered his mouth before his friend could go into a long story about how important he was.  
  
"He's Laguna, I'm Kiros, and that's Ward. He can't talk so we kind of read his mind because we've known him for a while."  
  
"Oh. Well it was nice meeting all of you" Braska and his companions turned to leave, but Laguna felt like talking to him more.  
  
"Wait! Why don't we talk a bit in that room?"  
  
The three were puzzled by the request.  
  
"I actually have a son I want to catch up with. Right some wrongs" Jecht explained.  
  
"You don't say? I have a son who doesn't even know he's my son!" Laguna said a little too loudly for the comfort of his partners. However, Jecht looked interested.  
  
"Come on guys. We seem pretty much the same. Maybe we could strike up a conversation."  
  
***  
  
Zidane and Zell were lounging in the rest area near the cafeteria, mostly because Zidane was the only guy around that wasn't bored by his video game talk.  
  
". . . And then there was Garland from the first Final Fantasy"  
  
"What?" Zidane sat up.  
  
"Garland from Final Fantasy" Zidane said again.  
  
"I knew a Garland, too. He wasn't a very nice guy"  
  
"You don't say? From what I've played, Garland from the first FF wasn't a real pal either!"  
  
"What are the odds?" Zidane asked to himself. Another observation popped into his head.  
  
"And remember that guy with spiky hair that carried a sword like the one at Lindblum I told you about? I bet it was Cloud!"  
  
"Yeah. . . . ! That'd make sense wouldn't it? Although I don't know how you'd know about him"  
  
"Well, I played a little FFVII, too, except the guy wasn't Cloud Strife. It was some other guy that looked like him"  
  
"I bet we should ask him if he had anything to do with the development," Zell said, sitting up as well.  
  
An announcement rang from the garden-wide intercom.  
  
"All designated personnel, please report to the training room by direct request from Oren Murasaki. You're training is to begin now. If you were not recognized by Oren Murasaki, please remain in your position."  
  
Zidane and Zell stood up.  
  
"I guess that's us" the martial artist said.  
  
***  
  
After a few minutes, everyone that had been in Alexandria fighting Alpha- Zeta except for Cid and Marlene. Due to the timing of the call, few people had learned of the new arrivals from the farplane. Those that did were saving the surprise, trying to block out the thought that the not-so-cool arrivals were walking around campus doing whatever they pleased.  
  
Oren paced around near the head of the room, which had glass on all sides, was about one hundred by one hundred yards long, and was lined by a blue mat covered with a polymer plastic.  
  
"Well, I have decided that now would be a better time than any to teach you all to do the thing we do. I just wanted to say that if I do this, it would mean you are no longer limited to your current power and will be able to do far more than you could before. Just keep in mind that most of these things are fun to do but take a tremendous amount of energy and cannot be done for pleasure. I'm only saying this because if we were to be attacked, you all would be our first line of defense against the attackers. Therefore you must be at the top of your game at all times"  
  
Now enough with the boring stuff, I'll start with the real fun. I want all of you to make sure there is space in front of you"  
  
That wasn't a problem considering the size of the crowd and the size of the room.  
  
"Uh, good. Anyway, I'm about to use one-fourth of the remaining power I have of Omega inside me to rain over this area and absorb itself into your bodies. Your own energy will have to prevail after that, and you'll probably be a little stronger than me."  
  
Murmurs of all kinds of ideas came about, some of which Oren could only hope didn't include mutiny.  
  
"It's done"  
  
"What?" Barret asked.  
  
"The energy is already in you, and what I did you can't really see or feel. But you'll notice an increase in performance. Could I have Seifer up here?"  
  
Seifer walked from his position in the crowed to the front area about twenty feet ahead of the crowd and twenty feet in front of Oren and Jessica.  
  
"Seifer, run as fast as you can to the left"  
  
Seifer got a skeptical look, and then complied. He simply ran normally and nothing happened.  
  
"I didn't do anything" he concluded.  
  
"Everyone look at where Seifer ran and stare for a few seconds."  
  
In two seconds, a trail of fire sprung up.  
  
"Holy cow!" he jumped back to fan the flames from his shoes and everyone stared on in amazement.  
  
"That was for confidence. Now believe you can glide"  
  
That was all he needed. This time Seifer GLIDED a trail so fast fire stronger than before sprung up.  
  
Jessica leaned into Oren's ear and whispered:  
  
"Big mistake"  
  
"We can do that!"  
  
"Holy moly!"  
  
"I wanna try that!" were the cries that rung out. Soon everyone was experimenting and blazing the mat with fire, smiting it, and then turning it on fire again.  
  
"STOP! THAT IT USING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, never mind. Wait till you fly" Oren made another mistake. Reno floated a bit, and then levitated completely and began to zoom around. Everyone saw this and followed him, making comments. Of course it can be imagined how great it was for them to be taking flight, but the energy it took was far too much to be done for a long time, and Oren didn't feel that sort of sympathy. So instead of waiting for them to stop flying and to sensibly tell them to stop, he waited. Jessica saw what he was doing and shook her head. One by one those that had flown too much slowly came back to the ground, overwhelmed and fatigue taking over them.  
  
"No one believed me. That takes and incredible amount of energy. This is only the first out of three days; the complicated activities are to come. For now just rest and try to master your new skills."  
  
With that, the Zatach hurried out of the room in that special way of his, as if he was late for something.  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: This is significantly shorter than the last, but is the last of its kind. For those that don't know I have played FFI-VI, but not enough to write good fanfiction. I also have to say that I will not be writing this any more this week, but every other week at about two to three chapters a week. I apologize, but I have many things to work on. But I'll give it my full effort for two to three chapters next week. 


	12. Chapter 12: Mu

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twelve: Mu  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Mu has a way of putting brawn over brains. Only a true genius could stop his wrath.  
  
Oren walked to the group of punching bags in the now deserted training room.  
  
I may not have Omega's power much longer, but I'm still a Zatach. I'm still Oren. And I am still strong. I will fight.  
  
He reeled back his arm, and punched, front flipped his heel back into the bag, did a roundhouse right into the middle, and finished with a tornado punch that knocked the red bag over the bar three times a split second after he jumped to safety.  
  
He didn't notice Seifer behind him, who had intended on an inquisition. Of course when Oren had calm down, he felt his mind light up with the twelve- percent energy signal he got from Seifer.  
  
"Hello Seifer" he said without turning around.  
  
"Hey, Oren. Could I ask you some stuff?"  
  
Oren sat down on the mat and looked at Seifer signaling that he was all ears.  
  
"Would you say you liked Jessica? A lot?"  
  
He was surprised by the question. Seifer sat down in front of him.  
  
"Yes. I like her a lot. Very much. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I don't want to sound like I'm prying, but would you kiss her?"  
  
Oren looked like he had been slapped. His eyes grew wide and Seifer was afraid he had offended him.  
  
"Excuse me? Would I kiss her? I think not! It would feel like kissing my sister. Goodness, don't scare me like that. I like her, but not that much, if that's what you're asking"  
  
Seifer let out a slight smile, happy that he had only startled the Zatach.  
  
"Wait a minute. Why do you ask?"  
  
The look of horror that spread on Seifer's face was a dead giveaway.  
  
"Dude, don't do that. We're guys. Guys hide their feelings because of a natural macho in them. You can't go around doing a bad job of hiding it. Either you admit it or you hide it well. I recommend the latter."  
  
"Uh, right, thanks" Seifer stood up and walked out briskly, Oren shaking his head from side to side.  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth sat on a bench in a particular corner of the garden where he was sure he wouldn't be noticed. He was waiting for Rikku, who had to leave due to an announcement. She found him again, however, and sat down by him.  
  
"What were we talking about?" he asked without looking at her.  
  
"You were telling me about how mean some people would be if they saw you"  
  
"Well, you see, they would be angry to see me. I've done horrible things that cannot be forgiven. They'd attempt to kill me. And fighting back would get me in trouble"  
  
"Tell them that and ignore them"  
  
"That's easy for you to say. . . but you're right. I'll try that. Thank you"  
  
"Don't mention it" Rikku stood up to leave.  
  
"Wait" Sephiroth said before he could stop himself.  
  
She turned to face him.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Uh. . . um. . . do you want to go to the balcony?" She shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
Sephiroth was relieved at the neutral response. He picked up his sword and sheathed it once more, put the polish into one of his pockets, and walked beside Rikku to the smaller doors on the southern area of the floor, where they passed through.  
  
He had seen signs marking the entrance to the balcony, but Sephiroth had never actually been there. He was amazed at the new feature of beauty. The garden at the time was floating over Balamb sea, and the smooth steel balcony added a futuristic mood to the view of the horizon that was blue on both sides.  
  
Rikku walked to the railing and leaned on it.  
  
"What an idea to come here. This is beautiful, Sephiroth"  
  
Old Sephiroth hadn't even known himself. He had just made a miserable excuse to keep Rikku from leaving.  
  
Maybe if I keep this up I can be a stud without even knowing.  
  
Sephiroth considered going to her to get a closer view of the balcony. He decided affirmatively, and walked over to her.  
  
"It is a nice view" he said conversationally.  
  
"Yeah. You can see the sea for miles. . . is that a town over there?"  
  
"I wouldn't know. This is also my first time around here"  
  
She turned to him.  
  
"Are you trying to stay close to me? I don't mind if you don't want me to leave"  
  
Sephiroth immediately tried to hide it.  
  
"What gave you that idea? I was just lonely and bored. And I happen to find you're presence more comforting that all of the clowns here"  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Right"  
  
They stared at the horizon thinking different things for a few minutes. A rustle to the left interrupted them, however. They both looked to find a woman in white brushing herself off and straightening her black hair.  
  
She looked up and smiled as if she just noticed them.  
  
"Have you seen Oren anywhere around here? I need to talk to him"  
  
"I saw him going to the training area in one of the higher floors" Rikku attempted to be helpful.  
  
"Really? Thank you that's all I need to know"  
  
"Wait" Sephiroth called as she headed for the exit.  
  
"What's you're name?"  
  
"My name is Iota. I'm just a student"  
  
She left out of the door, but the strange thing was they no longer heard her footsteps. Furthermore, they hadn't heard her come in, either.  
  
"Was her name Iota? Sephiroth asked after a few seconds of silence.  
  
"Yes" Rikku said absent-mindedly.  
  
"Wait a minute. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, ETA, THETA, IOTA!"  
  
Rikku snapped to attention.  
  
"You're right!"  
  
"We have to warn Oren!"  
  
The two rushed out into the hallway and scrambled down to the elevator.  
  
As the two rushed down at a brisk pace along the floor Sephiroth stopped dead in his tracks. There looking straight at him were Barret and Vincent. For a second no one spoke and Rikku stopped after noticing Sephiroth's movement come to a sudden close.  
  
"Am I just seeing things, or am a starin' at Sephiroth?" Barret said it like he didn't want to believe it.  
  
***  
  
Oren paced about in the training area thinking about a battle strategy in the event of another fight.  
  
He felt a presence behind him and turned. Then he wished he had stayed turned around.  
  
"I probably know you from somewhere" he said slowly.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Oren Murasaki. It has been a while. Do you have any idea what happens today?"  
  
Oren shook his head.  
  
"Kappa and I are going to come here and beat you halfway. Kill off half of your group, maybe injure them half to death. If you're too much for us, which I doubt, then Eta Theta and Lambda will assist us."  
  
"I take it you're Iota?"  
  
"You don't remember me? You can take Omega away from us but-"  
  
"I've about had it with that title. Before this is over I'm going to prove that I did nothing!"  
  
"Do you think anyone believes your lies? And you made recruits out of allies to people like Kuja, Sephiroth, how could you?"  
  
". . . They weren't pawns, just temporary allies. When you accused them, not even that was true"  
  
She shifted her weight to another foot.  
  
"What we meant was that they worked for them. We meant that they were loyal to those bastards."  
  
"And I am telling you for a fact that that isn't true. When do you plan on killing, or trying to kill me?"  
  
"Well, we could do it now, but we want to finish off you're whole group later because it fits in for a plan with a new device we've been testing. Also, we wanted to save your death for all of us to watch, and from the person who loved him the most."  
  
"Iota, answer me this? Who said that my soldiers were pawns to those. . . guys?"  
  
"Pyros told us" she said simply.  
  
"Pyros told you? What do you mean Pyros told you? You're just going to go by what he says? What if he told you that if you sleep after you drink milk, magic monkeys will fly out of your pores and give you candy?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. We aren't fascists, but we go by what he shows us"  
  
"What evidence have you?"  
  
The two locked eyes.  
  
"It is time for you to fight us, Oren Murasaki!!"  
  
Eta, Blue hair, blue uniform; Theta, white uniform; Kappa, strangely normal clothing; and a new addition, Lambda.  
  
Lambda was pretty hyper. He paced around back and forth, forward and back over and over pounding his fist into his hand hard and fast, then looking at Oren as if charged with electricity. His hair seemed just that, as it stuck straight up. He also bore a strange resemblance to Cid Highwind.  
  
"This isn't the least bit fair! I don't have any of my fighters avai-"  
  
"Quit you're bellyaching, Oren" Theta growled cracking his knuckles. "Call you're men. But you have to fight me one on one. . . " he materialized and energy blade connected to his wrist.  
  
"If that's the case. . . " Oren did the same. Slowly afterwards, he pulled the universal P. A. connector out of his cloak's pocket.  
  
"All trained members, we have a big problem. Report to the training area immediately and I will explain it, or rather it will explain itself"  
  
Pyros' warriors smiled to hear this.  
  
"Cloud's group will fight you, Kappa. Squall's group should be more than a match, Iota. Zidane and his friends will fight you, Lambda. And Eta will face the summoner and her guardians."  
  
No one had any objections.  
  
***  
  
Freya balanced the lance on her back as she scoped the training area, jungle terrain.  
  
"This garden is actually quite efficient," she thought aloud.  
  
The place, she noticed, actually simulated a real background and seemed to blend in perfectly with the monsters that were there to battle. She had seen things called Grats and Ochus, all very jungle-like. Of course she was there purely for her skills to develop and had been for hours. Unfortunately, none of the monsters seemed like a true test of her skill.  
  
She scanned the rock, the trees, the ground, ignoring the frequent exit routes in case you were injured and needed to leave. They would interfere with her training as a Dragon Knight, which had mostly revolved around on basic assumption: The place you were fighting would be natural terrain.  
  
Over the rocks ahead she noticed a narrow gap between to tall gray boulders that seemed to lead to something.  
  
Probably somewhere with more than these pitiful monsters.  
  
She easily squeezed right through, she had always been light and thin, and adjusted her hat as it had become crooked in her transition.  
  
Maybe the real reason I'm here is because of the students giving me strange looks. I doubt any of them have ever seen a Burmecian. I must look like a rat with legs.  
  
She was only thankful for heavy covering in red Burmecian garments and her favorite cap.  
  
Up ahead of her she saw a waterfall and heard the sound of somebody yelling battle cries in what seemed to be a strange language.  
  
She scanned the waterfall for possible ways to get up, wondering how whoever was there could have gotten there in the first place.  
  
"Of course, he got here from the proper area so of course he would be able to get there!"  
  
Freya was well ready for a challenge. She stood on one rock in the series of rocks lining the steep waterfall, and began bounding from rock to rock.  
  
Slowly but surely the Burmecian made progress and then carefully timed the jumps so that she didn't have to fall back down and start over again.  
  
The roaring of the waterfall was a big help because it helped Freya ignore the artificial part of her surroundings and to focus on what was ahead, tapping into her instincts as a Knight was much easier.  
  
Finally she jumped on a rock that was close enough to the top where the clearing was where she had heard battle.  
  
Freya finished this jump with a good dragon flip into the air and onto the ground, smiling as she landed as silently as she did quickly.  
  
***  
  
Kimahri swung his lance one more time in an upward slash, and the hexadragon decided Kimahri was more trouble than he was worth. In the process of its retreat, it dropped a small bag that likely contained gil, although why monsters dropped gil was still beyond him.  
  
"That was a nice display of skill. Would you like to test it on me?" Freya surprised Kimahri. He turned around to face her and slowly nodded his head.  
  
She seemed pretty cocky.  
  
"You already know me, and I know you so we can save to introductions. How confident are you in the skill of your lance?"  
  
"Kimahri very confident. Kimahri has honored Ronso tribe with great strength, and believes he has been through enough to face any opponent" he responded as Freya walked to position directly across from him in the green clearing.  
  
"Lets begin" Freya said, putting her lance into position in front of her with the right leg slightly back but leaning the wait on the front.  
  
Not being a Ronso to waste time, Kimahri seemed to hover above the ground as he charged forward at a smooth speed, his golden eyes focused on that particular point on the opponent's lance. . .  
  
There was a clanging sound as the point of his lance touched one weak point on Freya's, throwing her off balance and off guard for a split second. One split second too long.  
  
Kimahri dropped the Spirit Lance in towards the one opening, but the Dragon Knight recovered from the blow and parried using the Burmecians' exceptional reaction times.  
  
Kimahri came forward again and dug the points of his lance into what ended up as Freya's. As the points were tangled, both got the same idea. They thrust out the ends of the lances attempting to hit the other with it, circling each other as they did so. Any outsider would think they were performing some sort of strange dance. They both thrust one final time, loosening the blades out of their tangle and making it possible to fight properly again.  
  
The Ronso used his springy legs to make a front flip a good fourteen feet into the air, and was surprised when Freya managed to follow him two feet higher.  
  
There, they began an aerial battle so fast that for ten seconds they actually stayed there.  
  
Thrust, parry, block, parry, thrust, thrust, parry block, parry, parry, block, slash, thrust, parry was Freya's main pattern.  
  
Parry, thrust, slash, thrust, parry, parry, thrust, slash, thrust, thrust, slash, block, parry, thrust was Kimahri's. Soon they both figured each other out and stopped the fight, descending back to earth.  
  
They were both ready for more, but an announcement rung over the P. A. system telling all trained fighters to report to the training area.  
  
"We'll finish this later" Freya said.  
  
Kimahri nodded in silent agreement, and the two jumped down the waterfall and sprinted to the training area.  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth blinked.  
  
Barret blinked.  
  
"Sephiroth!? You!? I can't believe it! YOU'RE here? You should be dead!"  
  
"See shat I mean?" Sephiroth whispered to Rikku. She nodded.  
  
"As much as I'd like to be told I should be dead, I have something urgent and important to report. So if I could pass-"  
  
"Not a chance" Barret leveled his gun-arm and Vincent slowly set his hand on the Death Penalty at his side.  
  
The P. A. system clicked on, commanding all trained fighters to report to the training area.  
  
". . . There ain't no way I'm leaving you alone. You'd better come with us"  
  
Sephiroth's shoulders went lazy.  
  
"I was kind of on my way there. So if you don't mind."  
  
He held Rikku in his grasp and floated up to the floor above them.  
  
"Why is she going!" Barret asked, hustling to the elevator.  
  
"I'm a trained fighter," she explained from a floor higher while Vincent waited for Barret to make it to the elevator. The two walked out and rushed to keep up with Sephiroth who they couldn't trust.  
  
"I'll deal with you later" Barret said, walking into the training room with Vincent.  
  
"Yeah right" Sephiroth scoffed. He looked at Rikku.  
  
"You go ahead. I'll wait here if you need me."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I'll see you later then?" she asked.  
  
"Sure"  
  
With that she went in through the three layers of steel doors.  
  
***  
  
The Turks were the last ones in. They, like everyone else, noticed that Oren seemed nervous, and had an energy blade of blue attached to his wrist.  
  
"You can come out now" he said to a corridor.  
  
Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, and Lambda showed themselves.  
  
When everyone recognized who they might be, half of the people more impulsive people in the room immediately unholstered, unsheathed, withdrew, and revealed quite a number of weapons.  
  
"I will be engaging the summoner and her guardians. My name is Eta" Eta, blue haired, blue dressed gave a courtly bow. "I will try not to-"  
  
"Theta. I'm only interested in fighting Oren" Theta rudely cut her off, looking about ready to materialize something.  
  
"Iota, I will fight with the commander and his crew," she said coolly, cracking her fingers one by one.  
  
"MynameisLambdadonotkeepme.I apologize. I cannot stay still. My name is Lambda, I will be killing the king and his pets"  
  
"Some of you have met me, my name is Kappa. This time I will put to good use the power I have. Do not expect mercy like last time."  
  
***  
  
Cloud relaxed a little. There were only five this time, and they didn't seem like a very impressive bunch. Not only that, but they were supercharged and just waiting to use the power they got earlier. On top of that, they had experience from previous battles and knew what to expect.  
  
He thought this would be easy. He was wrong.  
  
The group took normal formation. Fortunately, the training area was just as stable and a little bigger than the place of their last battle.  
  
This time, Rude Reno and Elena didn't seem to hesitate to take nice positions in the back where spots were clear for firing. They had a new pattern and were sure that the way they shot would not be easily avoidable. Vincent was a better shot and more valuable, therefore he was even further back. Yuffie was mid range with Reeve and his SOCOM. He had also purchased a Makarov and some other pistol from a store by the D-District Prison. He felt that automatic weapons weren't his style. Barret was a little between the Turks and Vincent, staying clear a bit so that his automatic weapon didn't produce friendly fire. None of the group had yet bothered to mention Aeris, or Sephiroth for that matter. The time was not yet right.  
  
Cid, Tifa, and Cloud were near the front, Red behind them.  
  
With their refined battle plans and their new found powers including a one- hundred and eight percent increase in strength, one hundred and fifty-seven percent increase in speed, fifty-eight percent increased reaction times, and new ability to stand eighty-seven percent more, they made a small army and felt safe and confident of victory.  
  
They were wrong.  
  
The bearers of firearms began their first assault, expecting to end it right there. Kappa only raised an eyebrow and didn't move. He was hit with normal and automatic fire. It took a few seconds to realize that the bullets were bouncing harmlessly and tracking sparks.  
  
Cloud thrust his sword forward and struck toward the middle of Kappa's chest with his sword extended forward, trailing fire behind him as he struck with all his might.  
  
"Hah. Show off. No time to be wasted"  
  
Cloud's sword nearly bent on the Zatach's chest, he beamed a thin red line across all enemies, and it disappeared.  
  
A pain followed that made them fall to the ground with agony.  
  
Cloud dropped his sword and fell to the ground clutching his abdomen as Kappa only looked at them wide-eyed.  
  
"What the hell? That should have killed you! You're--stupid me. Oren gave you Zatach power, right? Well that means now I can't cut you in half like I was planning. How about more of a." he stopped short as he looked at the fallen group with even larger eyebrows.  
  
"Then again. . . " he walked away, leaving the 'army' on the ground.  
  
"I've finished the fourth!" he yelled to the allies.  
  
"You guys kill two-fourths and injure the other fourth!"  
  
Iota knew she was much better at killing than Eta, so she left the injury to her. She was going for the kill. The immediate kill. This would be one that she had many options to. She decided on atomic compression.  
  
"I have decided to kill you with atomic compression" she said to commander Leonhart and friends.  
  
"But first, I have to take care of a meddling girl named Jessica trying to ambush me from above. . . " she said, smiling upwards just as Jessica appeared seemingly out of nowhere slamming downwards, leaving a crater of gas in the polymer mat where Iota once was, and Iota's afterimage of quick movement.  
  
She tsked.  
  
"I didn't count on you being here." She looked at Squall who looked ready to Lionheart. "I'm so sorry, my friends. Our little fights will have to wait. You understand, don't you?"  
  
She didn't give them a chance to answer when she flew up into the air after Jessica.  
  
Zidane slowly got up from the ground. He was seriously tired of being rammed by Lambda who was too fast. He was smashed into the ground again, Lambda's doing.  
  
"I would only seriously injure you, but that is already Kappa and Eta's job. I have to kill you." He said rushing around the fallen group over and over in a deadly circle moving faster than the eye could see.  
  
"Little queen goes first"  
  
That snapped it. With just a little increased speed, Zidane knew that there was only one thing faster than Lambda. A supercharged Terran's Grand Lethal when they were mad.  
  
"Hey there, little man? How about a Grand Lethal?"  
  
Lambda stopped and stared. He fell to his knees and tears streamed down his face. He felt like emotion had overwhelmed him.  
  
"What the heck?" Amarant took this opportunity to stand up.  
  
They then saw something. Lambda was on the ground crying tears of joy.  
  
"Oh my word! OH MY WORD! No way! You insult me? You call me little man? What are you, two feet all? What a-"  
  
Lambda was cut off when a Grand Lethal from an even angrier Zidane tore through the ground and hit him.  
  
"Score" Zidane snapped his fingers.  
  
"Yeah. Lambda one, Losers negative six hundred and thirty-eight" Lambda said brushing himself off when the smoke cleared.  
  
"Dammit" Zidane snapped for a different reason.  
  
Oren was quite engaged with Theta. They had been going one-on-one, fight till you can no more, generated weapon-vs.-generated weapon. Neither seemed to be tiring, but Oren was slowly wearing down Theta.  
  
Finally, Theta collapsed and Oren held the tip of the Altron to his neck.  
  
"You. . . bastard. . . you only won because of Omega's strength."  
  
"Omega was not a swordsman. It was my own skill that got me through"  
  
". . . If you kill me, Iota will avenge me."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Oren slammed the side of Theta's head with the flat side of the Altron and he collapsed in a heap.  
  
How was Eta doing with the summoner and her guardians? Forget that. They were on the brink of death. Of course Eta didn't come close to finishing them off because she didn't like to kill.  
  
"I won't kill you" she said simply.  
  
Zidane's group was recovering, but only to Lambda's leisure. He looked over at Iota who was busy with Jessica.  
  
"Iota, when you're done with Jessica and Ultimecia's pets, that is the only time I can kill my group" he said, completely ignoring Zidane.  
  
"I have to kill Jessica first. Keep them down a while" she called.  
  
Amarant, as he was the tallest, felt the crush of unseen pressure push him down. Steiner didn't feel it as much with armor along with Beatrix, Zidane and Dagger had been through worse, Quina frankly didn't care, and Freya had the training of a Dragon Knight on her side the first part. But Vivi and Eiko's frail bodies were experiencing the most punishment. Lambda smiled, as soon there was a sickening crack when each and every member of Zidane's team had arms, legs, and parts of their backs broken.  
  
Otherworldly moans rang out. Eiko held back the tears, Vivi would have cried if he could.  
  
"I trust you won't be going anywhere. I'll crush you once Iota has finished cleaning up the trash."  
  
Jessica was pinned down under Iota's knife, her boot on her chest just out of Seifer's sight.  
  
"Now. . . " she raised the dagger and brought it down.  
  
The next events happened within a tenth of a second.  
  
Oren flew. He flew both literally and figuratively. The moment he saw that knife come down, he simply flew.  
  
Pushing wouldn't work. . . neither would slamming, nothing. One would work. Something Oren had never done before. Killing.  
  
Have you ever thought about killing? Everyone thinks about it as something that makes a story good or adds a little extra something. But you know what? Killing isn't cool. Not to Oren. Killing is ripping someone away from life, love, possible happiness, the ones that love them, everything. Is killing really all that good? Or fun? Well Oren was about to do it to save one he loved. Even if he would have to kill someone. Kill. What an ugly word. Kill.  
  
The Altron pierced Iota's stomach. She blinked for a second.  
  
". . . Theta?" That was her last word. She never finished the message. The whole room was silent. Then Eta began laughing. Slow at first, but then maniacal. Soon Kappa joined in. And then Lambda and even Theta laughed. The corpse fell over Jessica and landed beside her as she stood up.  
  
"You!" Theta pointed like he was talking to an old friend.  
  
"You're not satisfied with killing Omega? You kill my only love too? And put Pyros on our asses forever? Not cool. Damn you. You will die. We will ALL get a chance to kill you, Oren Tvaar Murasaki."  
  
The revived Theta disappeared from view and off to his ship.  
  
Kappa looked at the corpse, then Oren.  
  
"Even Alpha through Zeta will want a piece of you now. Forget the others, when we come back we only want you"  
  
He disappeared into nothing.  
  
Lambda shook his head.  
  
"You will die for this. You killed Omega, now Iota. Sweet Iota. You will die for this"  
  
He disappeared as well.  
  
Eta stared closely at the corpse.  
  
"I.never wanted to kill. Now I know why I should. People like you. You'll take all I love till I have nothing else? Right? Congratulations. You have made me a cold-blooded killer"  
  
Eta was the last to leave.  
  
Oren stared at the corpse, as it turned white and materialized like Zatachs bodied do.  
  
"She returned. . . " he broke the silence.  
  
Jessica put a hand on his shoulder. He shook it off.  
  
"Zatach's bodies return to the planet in the form of energy. The planet is gone; her energy is just wandering now. Never to return. I helped kill her. I DID kill her. I am a killer"  
  
He looked at the ceiling.  
  
"What have I done!?" he launched himself up and burst a hole through the ceiling. Plaster fell and landed near Iota's dagger. The silence remained.  
  
Oren was nowhere to be found.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Review this chapter, please. Also, I appreciate BloodyVixen's frequent reviews and everyone else. You really do care! 


	13. Chapter 13: Nu

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Thirteen: Nu  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Nu is incomplete without Xi and the mysterious disappearing other.  
  
"Damn" Zidane kicked the wall in his room. Jessica had tried her best to heal the injuries, but it still hurt. Not only that, but they were no match for the new arrivals. And lastly, Alpha through Zeta would be back on their feet in only a few short weeks.  
  
He looked pretty pitiful with his friends and a lot of others limping around garden back to their rooms. Most people wanted to know what had happened.  
  
"To think I actually thought this would be easy," Zidane said to the ceiling as he lay on his back on his bed. When the students asked, they said that they had heard rumbling in from the training room, and that they were hoping that some sort of major battle had been won. It was painfully answered more than once that they hadn't exactly won at all. As a matter of fact, they just missed being annihilated. This wasn't something that could just be played with, something they expected to push their ways through. Now someone was actually dead. What if it was on his side? Someone close to him? What would happen if he lost his wife?  
  
That was why he stared up at the ceiling. To ask himself:  
  
Do I even know what I'm fighting for?  
  
And Oren was missing, which he didn't even want to think about. Now they had no organization, no source of information, and had lost a major part of their team. Things had barely started and now they were going horribly wrong.  
  
There was a knock at his door, and Zidane groggily went to answer.  
  
***  
  
Theta stood in front of Pyros who was on the couch.  
  
Surprisingly he had caught Pyros in a bathrobe. Of all things.  
  
"This had better be good, Theta"  
  
He sighed. Iota had been important to him, and now he had to approach the great leader and even go to his quarters. The pressure from his comrades had been great.  
  
Pyros is going to be on all our asses for a lifetime for this. Theta looked down at the ground.  
  
"Sir, we beat them to a bloody pulp--"  
  
"Did you kill half?" Pyros asked impatiently.  
  
"Well, no. Not exactly, no"  
  
Pyros got a 'I would politely like to know why before I kill you' look on his face.  
  
"Why is that, my dear warrior?" he asked neutrally.  
  
"Sir, Oren killed Iota. Not after a fight, just killed. He impaled her right through the stomach."  
  
"What! What! That bleeding heart Oren killed Iota? I'm not hearing this! First Omega and now another?"  
  
"We are very grieved"  
  
"Hunt him down and kill him now"  
  
"We don't where he is. We felt his signal flying off somewhere, but then it disappeared."  
  
"Find him. I don't care how long it takes. I want you and Eta to find him. Tell Kappa and Lambda to finish off the others."  
  
"Don't you think that that is a little too few?"  
  
"One would have been too much for them, but if you're such a baby, bring Mu along for the ride. I'm feeling generous"  
  
Theta kneeled with his head down.  
  
"Greatest thanks. Permission to be dismissed, sir?"  
  
"Granted. Now you and Eta search the stars first. I have a feeling he will be there"  
  
"Immediately sir" Theta said as he hustled out of the room to Eta's quarters, glad that Pyros wasn't too angry.  
  
***  
  
Jessica had afterwards gone to the library and in a secluded area paced around mumbling to herself worriedly. Seifer was with her; sitting at the table near her as they puzzled over where Oren could have went.  
  
"He seemed pretty upset"  
  
"He's never killed anyone before. He's still young and hasn't ever needed to. It is very unfortunate that he's doing it the first time."  
  
"Where could he be?" Seifer asked running a hand through his hair.  
  
"He flew straight up. We Zatach never fly straight up unless we plan on going through the atmosphere. He's in space somewhere, likely. Maybe on some moon. I need to talk to him."  
  
She looked at Seifer.  
  
"I wish you could come. But a human body isn't built for the vacuum nor pressurization of space"  
  
"I wish I'd paid more attention in my classes"  
  
Zell walked from behind a shelf and sat at the table across from Seifer.  
  
"Maybe you would have even learned something if you weren't constantly goofing off."  
  
Seifer narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I'm glad to see you too. How was your near death experience?"  
  
Zell glared right back.  
  
"Just fine and dandy. What were you talking about?"  
  
"Didn't your eavesdropping produce useful results?"  
  
"Hey, I have to keep a tab on you. I don't know what you could be up to. We have to keep an eye on you at all times." Zell countered.  
  
"We can't have no witch's slaves like you running around"  
  
Seifer folded his arms across his chest and produced a calm response.  
  
"Let you let a witch herself run around?"  
  
"Say WHAT!? You're freakin' lying!"  
  
"Really? Am I? Check the conference room. You'll find none other than Ultimecia herself. Ask Squall, he knows"  
  
"Yeah right"  
  
"Actually, its true. Oren beforehand salvaged some extra help from the dead. She should be lounging somewhere"  
  
Zell's face turned pale when he heard Seifer's statement backed up.  
  
"N-no way! A mortal enemy of garden right here? I have to warn the others!"  
  
Zell ran off before anyone could stop him.  
  
***  
  
"You're kidding! You actually compressed time?" Kiros asked Ultimecia. You see, they didn't know the name or description of her, and didn't know she was the dangerous enemy from before. They had just known the world was under the threat of a sorceress.  
  
"Yes, and I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids! And that rotten Angelo too."  
  
Kiros sat with Ward across from Ultimecia's seat in the conference room. And they certainly were conferring.  
  
Laguna was giving Jecht advise on being a father, while Jecht with give the perfect strategy for revealing fatherhood to his son. Auron decided he didn't feel like any big greetings just yet, and if he didn't show himself Yuna and Tidus would tell everyone anyway.  
  
"My only regret is that I left my wife back at the farplane. I may not see her until I die again."  
  
"I know she is glad that you have another chance at living." Auron laughed. "At least you had a chance to love"  
  
Braska tilted his head.  
  
"You intrigue me Auron. You are very mysterious and complex"  
  
"Complex? How so?"  
  
"For example, you carry your arm like it's a sling. You never used to do that."  
  
". . . What does it matter why?"  
  
"Tell me, your old friend."  
  
"Don't go telling everyone, but arm was badly sprained, broken, and torn when Yunalesca killed me. I sputtered around crawling like an insect until I found Kimahri. You see, when Kimahri told your daughter that taking her to Besaid was a dead man's request, it was me she meant, not you. I was the dead man fulfilling your promise. Yuna had thought you were the dead man, even though you were. Simply not the one Kimahri was referring to.  
  
Later, though, when Rin helped me I was carrying my arm in my makeshift sling. The pain always seemed to be there. It left, but I always felt nervous and uncomfortable with my arm out of my coat freely, so I keep it inside.  
  
Braska blinked.  
  
"That's the most idiotic thing that I've ever heard"  
  
"My arm was hurting and injured for the longest time. Its like a pencil continuously breaks, and when you get a stable one, you still feel nervous and cautious about keeping it from breaking"  
  
"That's the most idiotic analogy I've ever heard"  
  
"Perhaps I should break you're arm to show you what I mean?"  
  
"I'll be quiet now"  
  
"You do that"  
  
"I've got it!" Laguna concluded.  
  
"I'll tell him tonight, that oughta raise his spirits a bit!" Laguna exclaimed.  
  
"If you call telling your son about a father he doesn't even know he has and probably hates a good thing, then it should" Jecht said knowingly.  
  
"Well what would you do?"  
  
"The same thing, I guess. My only problem is that I want to be closer to my son. He's basically an adult and. . . and I've rarely ever been there for him. Even when I was back in the old Zanarkand."  
  
"Zanarkand?"  
  
"Never mind. We should just tell them flat out what we want. No better way to do it."  
  
"I guess you're right"  
  
Laguna stood up.  
  
"Would you mind coming with me? Squall said he'd be just outside garden in the Obel Lake area."  
  
"I don't know where that boy is. . . sure? Why not?"  
  
Laguna and Jecht headed for the elevator in the back of the room, and turned to their friends.  
  
"Guys, you coming?" the former blitzball star gestured with his hand. No one paid any attention; they were all preoccupied with their own conversations.  
  
"Lets just go. Kiros and Ward don't seem interested."  
  
"Fine then."  
  
The two went downwards to the entrance, where Laguna would reveal his shocking news.  
  
***  
  
Twilight was falling rapidly as the sun went down in the west behind a mountain range making the sky a pale orange and soon black. One star could be visible high in the sky and the moon was gigantic, as it usually seemed. Seifer was next to Jessica who was looking straight up.  
  
"Oren never had any family. When I try to talk to him about it, he says he was born alone, and would probably die alone" she said more to herself than to Seifer.  
  
"No mother? No father? No brother or sister or cousins or anything?"  
  
Jessica still stared straight up and shook her head.  
  
"I'm really all he has. The closest friend he's ever had. . . He probably went to a nearby star or the moon. I have to find him."  
  
She crouched down and a pale white light surrounded.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow Seifer. Meanwhile, you may want to clear the area"  
  
"Yeah, okay" Seifer put took his gunblade from its spot stuck in the grass and took off in another direction.  
  
She was temporarily nothing but white light, and then she blasted off into the sky and for a second, seemed to be a star herself.  
  
"Wow" the gunblader mouthed to himself. It's a wonder that the alphabet goons they were fighting proved a challenge for people who could do things like that.  
  
He planned on heading back to the entrance, when he saw two figures on the horizon near the massive purple side of Esthar Garden. One was sitting, the other swinging something around at high speeds.  
  
Seifer felt his heartbeat quicken as he remembered the promise to fight Squall one-on-one. He soon realized that the figure sitting down was Rinoa.  
  
"Hey!" he yelled.  
  
Rinoa tensed as she heard Seifer's voice.  
  
Squall set his gunblade down.  
  
"Are you here to fight?" he asked casually as Seifer strode over.  
  
"Yeah. The usual?"  
  
Squall knew what he meant by "the usual". They would do the fight Oppenheimer style. Two gunblades would be stuck in the ground approximately six feet away from each other, the bearers twelve feet away from each gunblade. They would then run, claim their weapons, and fight.  
  
***  
  
Tidus and Yuna walked hand in hand to the doors of garden so that they could watch the sunset from outside. When they got there they saw something more interesting. Squall and Seifer had been standing from gunblades stuck in the ground, looking like they were ready for a duel.  
  
Yuna had asked Rinoa what was happening, and she had said the two were going to duel.  
  
"Maybe I can fight winner!" Tidus felt ready to pull out his sword.  
  
Yuna immediately knew this and put a hand on his arm.  
  
"You know you haven't had that for very long. They have probably been fighting for years"  
  
Tidus' shoulders sagged as he felt the impact of the realization.  
  
"You're probably right. But it would be a good fight to watch between the two of them, right?"  
  
Yuna nodded and sat down beside him and Rinoa.  
  
The two were locked eyes.  
  
"Ready. . . " Seifer tightened his gloves.  
  
"Set. . . " Squall tightened his.  
  
"GO!!" They both said at the same time, rushing forward and grabbing the blades.  
  
Seifer started with a flipping slash, Squall with a closed tornado. When the blades hit, their faces were illuminated as sparks flew, creating an impressive display that almost set the grass on fire.  
  
"You've. . . bulked up a little" Seifer noticed.  
  
"You've bulked up a lot," Squall returned.  
  
The two jumped back and then forward, clashing in air. Squall slung his upward only to meet the part of Seifer's blade so far down it was almost the hilt.  
  
Seifer slammed the hilt into Squall's blade, knocking it up, and leaving him open.  
  
Squall knew his only choice was to step in to the blow, and slamming into Seifer's chest.  
  
Seifer then used the momentum to flip himself backward and bounce forward in a lunge. Squall parried and countered by putting all his weight behind his blade as he knocked Seifer back once again.  
  
Squall prepared for a big strike, but Seifer was too fast. Squall was open for no blows, so instead Seifer jumped right off his shoulders into the sky, coming down fast.  
  
Squall jumped up and met Seifer halfway at eight feet, and the two landed with Squall back on the offensive. His body glowed crystal like Lionheart, and Squall gulped at what he knew was coming next.  
  
"Lionheart!"  
  
The slashes came quick and faster than Seifer could even count, and he couldn't even imagine how he was blocking most of them. A few got in and drew scrapes on his shoulders. The final blow came down and Seifer blocked it, the slowness of Lionheart made up for by sheer power. Sparks flew and almost set the grass on fire again.  
  
Tidus let out a whistle.  
  
"Not bad" Squall commented.  
  
Seifer was too out of breath to answer.  
  
My Fire Cross is no match. How about. . . Yeah. That'll work. Seifer thought to himself.  
  
***  
  
Jessica felt the burning atmosphere all over her body as she flew up higher and higher. The mechanisms in her Zatach body automatically pressurizing so that her body would remain intact and she could survive for a few hours without air.  
  
She searched the black space for his energy signal, and found a faint one not to far away.  
  
She pulled herself towards it, noticing the faint glow of blue just over the horizon of the very small but amazingly close moon of the planet.  
  
As she got closer she felt bursts of power and slight concussions. She landed on the yellow rock surface, the currently the bright side of the moon.  
  
In the distance she saw Oren on a rock and bounded over. She didn't want to be seen, but she didn't have to worry about being heard because sound couldn't travel in the vacuum of space. She stopped behind him and tapped his shoulder.  
  
When he turned around he had a sad look on he face. He opened his mouth to talk, but no words came.  
  
Jessica tapped her head and Oren nodded. A beam of purple locked to two's minds, and a telepathic conversation came.  
  
OM: Jessica, why are you here?  
  
JT: Why are you here?  
  
OM: I'm a murderer. My hands are stained. I can't face the group.  
  
JT: You're not a murderer. Most had killed before.  
  
OM: Hah. They were monsters. I killed a sentient being.  
  
JT: You had to. You had no choice, my life was in danger.  
  
OM: Give me a break. There could have been other ways--  
  
JT: But you didn't risk them because you knew my life was in balance. And you also took the opportunity--  
  
OM: I sacrificed one life for another. I'm still a murderer.  
  
JT: See it as you taking the opening to eliminate a member of Pyros' squadron. They would have killed you without hesitation, and planned on it.  
  
OM: She didn't even have a chance to defend herself! What kind of person am I?  
  
JT: Oren, please. We're virtually blind if you don't act as a link. They want you, and they'll just go against the auxiliary immediately if you're not bait.  
  
OM: Is that the only reason you need me?  
  
JT: That's not what I meant. Where will you stay? Can you just sit back and let the world be taken.  
  
OM: . . . do you know why my eyes glow blue?  
  
JT: You don't have to tell me again.  
  
OM: You need to hear it again. I don't know what happened to code name Omega. I don't know why he's dead. I don't know. But I do know that his power is diminishing inside me. You know what happens when a Zatach is getting weak?  
  
JT: Yes. The eyes glow blue.  
  
OM: Exactly. But you've seen that I'm up on my feet on not the least bit weak. So tell me, why don't they listen to me when I tell them that I had nothing to do with his murder? I have power inside me that is his unique energy signal. And now after five years of denial, if there was even any doubt that I killed Omega that I would have liked, its gone. I've killed Iota, this time for real. And now they're even more determined.  
  
JT: I understand. If you want to leave and seclude yourself, then fine. But please, finish these efforts to drive them back. Then you can do whatever you want. Okay?  
  
OM: Fine. Whatever I want. But I'll try to help save these planets first. Deal?  
  
OM: Deal.  
  
JT: Fine.  
  
OM: Fine.  
  
The two simultaneously launched off of the moon, leaving craters the size of Bermuda on the moon.  
  
***  
  
"Seven crosses!" Seifer yelled with his blade held high.  
  
"Fire cross!"  
  
"Fira cross!"  
  
"Firaga cross!"  
  
"Meltdown cross!"  
  
"Holy cross!"  
  
"Flare cross!"  
  
"Ultima cross!"  
  
He yelled each name of the attacks he had been working on, interweaving the power inside him into his blade, and launching the seven respective crosses at the unsuspecting Squall.  
  
Luckily, he dodged the last six, but it was the fire cross that hit him, sending a burst of flame surrounding the area.  
  
The three onlookers gasped.  
  
Seifer stood panting, sweat running down his face. Slowly, the smoke cleared and he saw that Squall was more or less intact, but covered in ash and looking annoyed. He coughed out a puff of black smoke.  
  
"You friggin' cheated Seifer. You used magic!"  
  
"No I didn't! That came from my own body, I don't even have any spells stocked."  
  
"Right"  
  
"Did I win?"  
  
Squall got back into fighting position.  
  
"Not by a long shot. You'll have to do better than that"  
  
"Damn"  
  
Seifer tried to pick up Hyperion again but failed miserably.  
  
Squall laughed.  
  
"Can't pick up your gunblade? I guess I win" he said, a little less confidently.  
  
He turned to leave.  
  
"Wait! Squall, pick up Lionheart."  
  
"Uh. . . " he looked nervous and heard Rinoa giggle.  
  
"Well, sure" he said semi-confidently.  
  
He tightened his fingers around the hilt but dropped it.  
  
"Owowowow. . . " he said taking off his gloves and rubbing his hands.  
  
"Hah! You can't yours either. Looks like a tie Sir Puberty."  
  
***  
  
Laguna felt his heart beating hard in his chest as he and Jecht walked down to automatic doors that were the exits. Outside he immediately spotted Seifer and Squall with Tidus, Yuna, and Rinoa; Squall and Seifer looking exhausted.  
  
Jecht got a look and said:  
  
"Uh, I'm late for something! I gotta-"  
  
"No way, you're just trying to weasel out because you didn't count on Tidus being here. You're going through this just like me!"  
  
Laguna said, dragging Jecht over to Tidus before he could escape.  
  
"Boy you're daddy has something to tell you!" he yelled running away so that Jecht couldn't walk off while he went to talk to Squall.  
  
"Squall?" Laguna said as he approached him.  
  
Squall turned to him and raised an eyebrow.  
  
What's that clown doing in garden?  
  
"Could I talk to you in private?"  
  
Seifer took the hint and went off somewhere.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you. . . know any of your parents?" he asked nervously.  
  
"No. I've never seen or heard of them."  
  
"Well, you know Raine, right?"  
  
"Yeah. . . ?" Squall said slowly.  
  
"What would you say if you knew your father?"  
  
"I don't know. Do you have a point? I should be heading in soon" Squall said impatiently.  
  
"Right. I loved Raine. And she loved me. Unfortunately after I left to go look for Ellone. . . "  
  
He let it hang.  
  
"Tell me you're making that up! You're lying!"  
  
Squall backed off slowly but decided that he'd rather get out of there faster, slowly picked up his pace, found the power to pick up Lionheart, and ran off, almost into the doors before they could automatically slide open.  
  
Laguna looked down at the now darkening ground.  
  
"That didn't go quite as well as I hoped." He said to himself.  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth paced around the hallways, giving anyone who stared nasty looks.  
  
Barret came up to him huffing and puffing.  
  
"There you is!" He said, catching his breath.  
  
"What mayhem have you been causing while I was off somewhere, huh? Did you decide to kill more people? Wreck the place?"  
  
"Shouldn't you be seeing Aeris?"  
  
Barret put a hand to his chin in mock thought.  
  
"Hmmm. As much as I'd like to. YOU KILLED HER YA JACKASS!"  
  
"She's near the conference room."  
  
"Yeah right. How could she be there, huh?"  
  
"Well I'm here, aren't I?"  
  
Barret's eyes widened at this revelation and he hustled to the elevator just as fast, the poor man in his mid thirties seeming to be on the verge of a heart attack.  
  
Down the other side of the hall, Rikku came walking, a sad look on her face. Not very fitting for her.  
  
"All you all right?" he asked. He was surprised about himself. He didn't ever remember caring about anyone. Why now did he ask if she was all right?  
  
She looked up at him with sad eyes.  
  
"We were beaten. Badly, too. We lost the battle and aren't feeling too well. And Oren ran off somewhere."  
  
"Oh. . . you won't lose again. Next time I'll make sure I'm there. Don't look sad, it isn't fitting for you"  
  
She eyed him funnily.  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Uh, you just seem more in character when you're happy. It saddens me to see you out of character."  
  
"Does it make you sad to see I don't have my normal personality, or are you just not happy when I'm not happy?"  
  
Sephiroth pondered the question and was afraid to answer.  
  
"Don't look so worried, I was just kidding!" Rikku said, brightening up.  
  
Sephiroth was happy for two reasons, now.  
  
"Well, its pretty late. Do you still want to do something?" he asked.  
  
"Do you think you could teach me how to use that sword before I go back to my room?"  
  
Sephiroth almost laughed. Few people could even pick up his sword, and NOBODY could handle it except him.  
  
"I--guess?" he said, trying to keep from giggling.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing, nothing." He said, removing the sword from its sheath.  
  
"Okay, do you know how to hold a sword?"  
  
"A little. Tidus did it all the time"  
  
"Good enough. First things first. Pick the sword up." He said, laying it on the ground.  
  
Rikku looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"Are you just saying that because I'm a girl?"  
  
Sephiroth finally laughed.  
  
"I'd say that even if you were a full grown man. And you'll find out why."  
  
With this assurance Rikku crouched down and braced her fingers around the hilt. And then, slowly, she tried to lift it up.  
  
At first she thought she was doing it but realized that it wasn't moving from the ground at all.  
  
"What? It won't come up!"  
  
"Its not exactly a light sword"  
  
She tried jumping on the end, using the ring of the hilt as a fulcrum to make the handle come up, but it didn't work.  
  
Then she tried sliding it to a slightly elevated surface so she could have a better grip, but it wouldn't budge.  
  
Then she tried to just pulling like crazy, but all efforts were in vain. After seeing people handle sword so seemingly easily, she had no idea that they could actually be that heavy. Or just the Masamune, to be specific.  
  
Sephiroth laughed crazily.  
  
"I told you it wasn't light! You want to try tomorrow?"  
  
"I guess. I'm tired. I'll see you tomorrow, then." She said, walking back the way she came to the dormitories.  
  
"Yes, tomorrow."  
  
She left him pondering why he enjoyed being with her.  
  
***  
  
Eta and Theta arrived on the moon, but knew that Oren and Jessica had long since departed.  
  
T: We missed them.  
  
Theta telepathically communicated.  
  
T: I would have liked to kill Oren.  
  
E: Yes, I too. I guess it will have to wait.  
  
T: Pyros won't be happy to hear that.  
  
E: Pyros isn't happy to hear half the things we've told him. He's a hopeless case sometimes.  
  
T: Maybe we could get Farfy to tell Pyros?  
  
E: That sounds a bit unfair, don't you think?  
  
T: Forget it, Eta. Mu is waiting for us.  
  
The two silently blasted back at immensely high speeds.  
  
M: I hear someone named Sephiroth has connections with Jessica.  
  
Mu said in their heads as Eta and Theta retreated from the moon.  
  
E: Theta told me about that. He said that Jessica sent residual waves directly into the computer on another planet from far away to gather information. She accidentally beamed it right into a project called JENOVA.  
  
T: Well Theta was right. Theta said, referring to himself in the third person.  
  
M: I presume you and Eta didn't find anything. But while you were gone I found something in our computers. Something in the waves beamed by Jessica. They were feelings. Real feelings. I got some from Oren.  
  
E: Oren? So what? Eta asked.  
  
M: It seems that Oren wasn't lying. And Oren may not be our true enemy.  
  
Eta and Theta felt their hearts stop.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Well, well, this took me a while. Also, due to my business in two fics, I fear The Trinity will be put on indefinite hold. I have one chapter half typed, but that's already twice as long as one of these! O_o I'll try and get one more chapter in this week before I work on my other fic for next week. OH! I also got Final Fantasy Origins! I and II on Playstation! Joy! 


	14. Chapter 14: Xi

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Fourteen: Xi  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Eta, Theta, and Mu. Traitors! Xi and Nu, honorable, strong, and missing a sister.  
  
Nu and Xi, both twin brothers like Delta and Epsilon and sort of a replacement flew down through the atmosphere. Unlike Delta and Epsilon, they both wore red, the only ones in Pyros' league to wear such.  
  
The sunglasses they had on were rimmed in silver.  
  
They sizzled through the atmosphere, launched through the blue skies, and soon sighted their target. The bridge of Esthar Garden. They were only there to get back a lost sister. Xu. Xu was the link between Nu and Xi. Without her they felt incomplete. Although she wasn't from Pyros' league, she was still a valuable asset.  
  
***  
  
Steiner let himself in to Zidane's room and stood at attention next to the door.  
  
"Rusty?" he asked.  
  
"Sire. I needed to speak to you"  
  
"Yeah?" he asked, this time standing up.  
  
"As strange as this may sound coming from me, please try to be happier"  
  
This certainly caught Zidane off guard.  
  
"Everyone, including me, looks to you as our source of light. No matter how bleak the situation, you're always happy enough to make the rest of us feel hope. If you're sad, that's a sight so rare that we tend to think that the situation must be so bleak and so horrible, that not even YOU can keep your happiness. And that is precisely why we would like you to remain happy."  
  
"Geez. Since when did everyone start looking up to me so much?"  
  
"Since we almost lost you on Terra."  
  
Zidane blinked and dusted the ground with his tail.  
  
"I didn't know you had it in ya. Thanks Rusty, I'll try to be as fruity as possible"  
  
"The queen would like to see you in her dorm"  
  
"Her dorm? Isn't that off limits?"  
  
"I'm sure you'll get clearance. Now if you don't mind . . . I'm going to see Beatrix" Steiner said as he left with his armor clanking in the background, the sound slowly fading away.  
  
***  
  
Squall was back on the bridge pacing around. He thought to himself about the encounter with Laguna. . . he refused to believe it. That he was in any way related to that clown, Laguna. He tried to shake it out of his head, and then looked at Quistis who was at her seat working on something.  
  
"Quistis? With Oren gone, what do you think we should do next?"  
  
She shook her head blankly without taking her face from the monitor.  
  
"I'm sure that Jessica will try to find him again. But I don't know--"  
  
Oren walked in through the room, a new fire in his eyes.  
  
"I've figured it out! More rigorous training! In the Balamb area!"  
  
Everyone on the bridge stared.  
  
"Are you kidding? Oren where did you come from? Where were you?"  
  
"Never mind that, I've figured something! If I can train you all in all attributes and this time get the help of Seymour, Ultimecia, and Sephiroth, then we can't lose! We'll win for sure!"  
  
"You seem pretty renewed" Quistis said dryly.  
  
"It's simple; we just set a course for Balamb and--" Oren cut himself off.  
  
"What?" Squall asked.  
  
"I didn't know they still existed. We have aviatars coming our way"  
  
"Aviatars?"  
  
"Flying beasts that devour metal.Jessica and I are the only ones that can maintain flight long enough, and they will overwhelm us with numbers"  
  
"What do aviatars look like?"  
  
"They look like dinosaurs. Pterodactyls maybe. Except purple, and they consume metal. I bet Pyros sent them to devour this ship and leave us even more defenseless. We're doomed if we can't combat them"  
  
***  
  
Pyros laughed and laughed.  
  
"I bet that he never expected aviatars to come! Hah! Now what will that fool do? That garden will be gone!!"  
  
Farfy nodded.  
  
"Yes sir, sending Nu and Xi with aviatars was an excellent plan. Hahahahaha"  
  
"Shut up, Farfy."  
  
". . . Yes sir"  
  
***  
  
"The planes!" Nida yelled.  
  
"What?" Squall asked redundantly.  
  
"We have planes, right? Maybe we can shoot them all!"  
  
"That'd work, but we have few qualified pilots and no one can understand the AWACS computer radar system"  
  
"What exactly is AWACS? I may be qualified in such aircraft" Oren asked.  
  
"AWACS stands for Air Warning and Control System" Nida casually explained.  
  
"Oh. I should be able to interpret that radar. Just leave it to me!"  
  
"If you say so. . . "  
  
Nida left the glowing consoles and the AWACS screen popped up. Hundreds of tiny things on radar were flying to the big white circle, about five miles away.  
  
"Bandits. . . " Oren muttered.  
  
"Bandits?" asked Nida.  
  
"Bandits are in reference to enemy aircraft, but in this case the aviatars. Make an announcement for all qualified pilots to get some planes. Also tell the qualified fighters to operate the SAMs and the flak guns."  
  
"Sure" Squall picked up his speaker, and made an announcement.  
  
"All qualified pilots, get to the aircraft deployment area. We have a few hundred bandits closing in. Oren will serve as you're AWACS commander"  
  
Oren took the speaker.  
  
"I'll clear you for takeoff and engagement. I'll also issue codenames."  
  
Nida immediately left the bridge for the hangar, trying to recall as much as he could about what the FH engineers had told him about flying aircraft as well as the garden.  
  
The four Cids and Nida were disappointed to find that they were the only qualified pilots when they got to the bridge.  
  
"We can't beat hundreds of aviatars like this!" Nida yelled, throwing up his hands in defeat.  
  
"Calm down" said the Headmaster.  
  
"Our skills should prove more than a match. Just pick a plane"  
  
The hangar was large, steel, and had many planes neatly lined up. Fortunately, there were plenty of students to operate the stationary and portable SAMs and enough to operate the flak guns as well.  
  
"I'll take an F-15A" Cid Highwind said, hopping into the cockpit from the metal stairs that led up to it. The top of the cockpit closed neatly over him as he stared at all the familiar controls.  
  
"How about that one?" The Headmaster asked, pointing to the F-15E. He clumsily went in. It had been a while since his piloting days, but he had no choice.  
  
"I've never seen these . . . " the Regent muttered as he climbed into the SU-37.  
  
"Oh! I can easily work these controls!" he said when he saw them.  
  
Cid the Al Bhed didn't think he'd have any trouble when he climbed into the F-16C.  
  
"I guess I'll take this" Nida said when he climbed into an F/A-18C.  
  
Highwind was in an ACTIVE Eagle, the Headmaster in a Striker Eagle, Regent in a Super Flanker, the Al Bhed in a Falcon, and Nida in a Hornet.  
  
"Are you guy's in yet?" Oren asked over the radio, his voice crackling over the system.  
  
"Yeah" Highwind said into the radio.  
  
"Then you are all clear for takeoff!"  
  
It was shaky at first, but the ports at the side of the hangar closed as the ones at the end opened. The five planes sped up and took off. There was a roar as the engines started up for the first time, blasting the aircraft away from garden and into the skies lined with puffy white clouds at high speeds. The wheels of the landing gear tucked back into the belly of the machines and the rides stabilized.  
  
"Uh.this is AWACS. Here in the 'military' we use call signs. Usually for security, but not in this case since the enemy isn't sentient. Pyros could still be listening in. I trust you all know call signs and military talk?" Oren's voice crackled over the radio as the five were flying in formation, airborne. The blue skies calmed them, the garden getting further away. It was very quiet up there.  
  
"Yes" everyone answered.  
  
"Good. Okay, my call sign will be 'Blue 42'. Nida, you're 'Sonic 5'."  
  
"I thought 'S' was Sierra?" Nida's voice crackled back over the radio.  
  
"We're changing things around. Regent Cid, you're Romeo 3. Al Bhed Cid, you're Echo 4. Headmaster, you'll be Hero 2. Highwind, you're Apocalypse 1. Alright?"  
  
Affirmative responses crackled back to Oren over the radio.  
  
"Good. Three hundred and eight bandits spotted five miles north and closing at seventy-two mph at vector three-two-zero. Right in front of you. Keep flying to intercept them. You're cleared to engage."  
  
Nida had forgotten how fast planes were, and didn't think his F/A-18C would go five miles very fast. That was until he looked at the speedometer and noticed he was moving at an impressive rate of 600 mph and approaching the speed of sound.  
  
"Its been a while since I've flown. Maybe these things will get me warmed up" he said over the radio."  
  
"Hey" Oren said over the radio.  
  
"I've got a U2 and an SR-71 here. I'm thinking of the SR. What do you think"  
  
"Those don't seem like good AWACS planes" Apocalypse 1 said back.  
  
"I know, but I'll be around and will need to relay information about the fight back and forth to garden. The communications there are down and I need a fast plane."  
  
"Fine. The Blackbird sounds good then" was the response.  
  
Nida thought it would take some time for Oren to catch up, but zooming in the skies at an amazing speed past them was the Blackbird.  
  
"What the. . . ?" Sonic 5 asked.  
  
"Blue 42 here. Sonic 5, keep in mind that this is reconnaissance aircraft. Of course it goes fast"  
  
"Oh"  
  
In a matter of minutes purple figures filled the skies.  
  
"Blue 42 again. Make sure that your helmets are on tight, and all your gear is on right. Lets show these things what we're made of"  
  
The six aircraft made their way into the sea of aviatars.  
  
****  
  
Reno had been with Rude and Elena watching the aircraft leave the small hangar at the side of the Esthar Garden, but Reno had soon grown bored and tried to start a conversation more than once but failed. He succeeded finally when he asked a genuine question.  
  
"What are those things anyway?" he asked, pointing to the surface to air weapons stationed by small open ports to defend against any aerial attacks.  
  
"Surface to air weapons" the two were surprised when Rude spoke up.  
  
"AA guns. They stand for 'anti aircraft' and shoot bullets at high speeds into any aerial invaders. SAM. It stands for 'surface to air missile'. They are capable of locking on to aerial targets and firing missiles from the ground or any other stationing position. Flak guns. They launch explosive shells at high trajectories in attempts to hinder the flight of any airborne enemy."  
  
"How'd you know that?" Reno asked suspiciously.  
  
Rude uncrossed one arm and pointed to the tour card at the entrance that gave detailed information of everything in the hangar.  
  
"I was reading from that card" he said nothing more.  
  
"Huh" Reno gave Rude a question turned acknowledgement.  
  
Vincent seemed to float past them, and Reno didn't care until he remembered the job that he had been requesting earlier before they had been dragged across the galaxy.  
  
"Hey!" he ran after him, thought about putting his hand on his shoulder, and then decided against it.  
  
He paused his walking, stared ahead, and then turned to face Reno.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You came to our office saying you needed a job done. I'm curious to find out just what that job may be."  
  
For a few seconds Vincent made Reno extremely uncomfortable with his gaze, took a deep breath, and started speaking.  
  
"Suspicious figures were coming into the abandoned Shinra mansion. Each day they would come, scout out the place, and then leave. They did this for three days before the foul play came. Inside near the area where I once rested--"  
  
"What, your coffin?" Reno asked. It had been meant as a joke.  
  
"Actually, yes"  
  
His face became pale.  
  
"Well, inside that room they dragged someone who appeared to be a young female. She seemed to be going there against her will. Then I heard sounds as if someone was being tortured. After that people came out, but it was only the two men. The girl did not. I was deeply disturbed by this and wanted to take them into custody but didn't have to manpower. So I hired you to investigate."  
  
"The last time I checked, you were a member of AVALANCHE, so what makes you think I'll be willing to help you?"  
  
Vincent pulled out 1000 gill in bills.  
  
"Uh. . ." Reno snatched the bills and put them into his coat pocket.  
  
"That was half. The other half when you and your partners investigate. Is that agreed?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, but we have a problem. We can't get back to out planet without Oren."  
  
"Then I suppose we'll have to find him" Elena said, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm not going to let that blow another 1000 gil. We need those funds."  
  
"We will probably find him in the bridge. . . " Vincent trailed off and seemed to glide across the hangar and to the exit near the elevator.  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth rushed to find Jessica, wherever she may be. He was at the time checking the second floor hallways for her. For a while he refused to believe she was real. . .  
  
The younger version of Sephiroth sat at a computer console in the Shinra H. Q. stationed in Midgar. It was going to be the next day that he would be sent off the compound with Cloud, Zack, and a few other soldiers eliminate the problem in the reactor on Mt. Nibel.  
  
He wanted to look up information on the terrain so that he wouldn't get lost, even though a guide would be issued for the trip. He read the console blankly. It was a pretty old computer and it lacked a graphical user interface, so he had to manually put in commands.  
  
His hands hovered over the keyboard, unsure of what to do, when letters typed themselves on the screen.  
  
Of course, this had happened before when the machine was typing commands into itself, but these letters were red. And they illustrated the communications of a sentient being.  
  
/: We're still light years away, but I might be able to dig up information from this computer. Sending my consciousness to a machine? Talk about strange.  
  
He almost lost all decorum and jumped out of his seat. Maybe there was life out there!  
  
/: This is Sephiroth, currently logged on to this computer. State your business.  
  
He had felt strange, talking to a computer.  
  
/: . . . I'm sorry. I thought this computer was unoccupied.  
  
/: I don't care about that. Where are you? How are you using this computer?  
  
/: Can I trust you to keep a secret?  
  
/: No, but I may change my mind.  
  
/: Good enough. I am a Zatach named Jessica, currently quite a distance from your planet. I'm trying to dig information from it by using a device on this ship that lets me send and receive electrical signals.  
  
/: Light years? I don't believe you. What sort of trick is this?  
  
/: Trick or not, I just need to gather information, not chat.  
  
/: I'm not going to tell anyone about you, but only because I think your crazy and they'll think I'm crazy, too.  
  
/: You seem angry. Is something wrong?  
  
Sephiroth ran down the hall faster and shook of the thoughts of those conversations. It had been like some kind of intergalactic Internet, something he had wanted to forget. But the thought of seeing the real Jessica in person excited him.  
  
***  
  
Cloud leaned with Aeris on the windowsill facing north, trying to see the aerial battle unfolding five miles in the distance.  
  
Aeris seemed to be staring out, but not at the battle. Into space.  
  
"Are you okay?" Cloud asked her.  
  
"This planet. It has a different voice. And personality, too"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Our planet was like a child, a sick child. It always sounded so. . . I can't explain it. Humble. But this one is like a full-grown man, cynical, sarcastic. Its funny! When it speaks, it always has a joke. It even makes fun of the warring species that live on it!"  
  
"Is that so? It tells jokes? What kind?"  
  
"I can't explain them, they're more like feelings than words. Something you can't exactly here, but it still makes you want to laugh!"  
  
". . . Right"  
  
"I wish you could hear it. All my life I was listening to my home crying, but it feels so great to listen to this one joke. It always has a witty comment. It's even talking about the fight in the distance. Hearing it speak almost makes life completely worth living."  
  
Cloud smiled.  
  
"It must sound great"  
  
She looked at him and smiled back.  
  
"It really does"  
  
Sephiroth kicked up an amazing wind as he hustled past, not even seeming to notice the two.  
  
"He doesn't bother you, does he?" he asked her.  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Not really. He doesn't seem to care. You haven't noticed how soft he's been getting?"  
  
"What're you talking about?"  
  
"He used to always have that mean look, like he wanted to kill the next thing that moved. Now he looks like a boy waiting for his mother to come back home."  
  
Cloud raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"You probably haven't been around him as much as I have."  
  
"!?"  
  
They were interrupted when another group brushed passed them at high speeds. It was Vincent and the Turks. Vincent blinked. Reno blinked. Elena blinked. You couldn't tell if Rude did or not.  
  
"Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing? I thought you were dead!" Reno exclaimed.  
  
***  
  
Oren circled the battle scene in the SR-71. The aviatars were a half of the way gone, and the battle had shifted from around fifteen feet to thirty- five thousand feet, and although the Oren's Blackbird was just fine, but Nida's Hornet and the Headmaster's Striker Eagle were starting to have engine trouble.  
  
"Can I get a report, AWACS?" the Al Bhed asked.  
  
"On what?"  
  
"How many of these things are still alive?"  
  
"You've gotten one hundred and eighty-eight"  
  
"That's still over a hundred to go! And there's blood all over the front of my plane!" Nida whined over the radio.  
  
***  
  
"You're telling me you possessed someone from the past with Dr. Odine's machine? You're good. You're really good"  
  
"Well, it wasn't really that hard. I could easily use it if I attached the machine into my cerebral cortex."  
  
"Instead of your jugular? How'd you get the needle in there?"  
  
Ward felt that he was about to throw up as he listened to Kiros and Ultimecia chat on and on as if they were old friends.  
  
Zell burst into the conference room with a look of plain surprise on his face.  
  
". . . What the hell? Mr. Seagill, don't you know who that is? That's Sorceress Ultimecia, the most evil, disgusting, gruesome, malicious, power- hungry sorceress ever to walk this side of the universe that almost killed us!"  
  
"Well the way I've seen it, she's the funniest, sweetest, most intelligent, interesting, kind-hearted. . . "  
  
He touched her hand.  
  
". . . And beautiful woman I've ever been with"  
  
She blushed at the statement.  
  
Zell looked as if he were going to spew, covered his mouth, and ran to the bathroom to throw up.  
  
Ward looked at his friend wide eyed.  
  
Kiros, man, you've really lost it! I'm outta here!  
  
He ran off to throw up as well.  
  
"That was very generous of you, Kiros. Thank you."  
  
"No problem. What were you saying about Dr. Odine's machine?"  
  
After night had fallen the day before, Kiros had left to find a room, but Ultimecia had stayed for fear of being in the center of the SeeDs. Kiros had returned in the morning, and the two had stayed there talking. Kiros hadn't even heard anything about how un/successful Laguna was with Squall. Heck, he didn't even know if he had spilled the beans yet.  
  
***  
  
Reno, Rude, and Elena made their way to the hangar. Vincent had stayed with Aeris, but had left them to find Oren. They had gotten to the bridge, and found that Oren had taken a plane off north. They went back to the hangar; thankful that time in Turk training included mild piloting skills. The downside was, that was for commercial aircraft, not fighters.  
  
"Should we go back?" Elena asked, looking at the fighter planes, not thinking she could fly a single one of them.  
  
"No way. I need my money now." Reno hopped into a MIG-29 Fulcrum from the stairs.  
  
"MIG. Russian plane invented by brought into circulation by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich" He told his fellow Turks.  
  
"We're glad you've been doing your homework, but what do we fly?"  
  
"Who said you had to? You and Rude probably don't have my skills, and we only need one of us to find Oren. Don't worry, two people can ride, if you want"  
  
"You've done it Reno! We fly solo! Come on!" she dragged the quiet Rude to two other planes.  
  
Elena hustled up the stairs and into the cockpit of an F-14A Tomcat.  
  
"Hurry up, Rude!" she yelled.  
  
Rude eyed a Harrier.  
  
"Not an AV-8B! That's VTOL aircraft!"  
  
"So?" Rude gave one of his rare words.  
  
"Never mind. Just hurry, Reno's already taking off"  
  
Reno's Fulcrum sped out into the open air, and he felt pretty good about himself.  
  
"Man I'm good!" he said through his gear, accidentally pulling a lever.  
  
"AHHH!" he screamed as the plane did a complete somersault through the skies at 800 mph, and then headed upside-down right back for Esthar Garden.  
  
"Woah!" He struggled to lift the nose and decelerate to a maximum, just as the belly of the aircraft made sparks along the side of Esthar Garden.  
  
"Holy. . . I have to be more careful" he said over the radio.  
  
"Reno, is that you? Holy hell, who told you you could fly!?" Cid Highwind yelled over the radio.  
  
"Reno, this is AWACS. Call me Blue 42. Cid is Apocalypse 1. We need help here"  
  
"Oren! Er, Blue 42, we need you to get us back to our planet temporarily."  
  
"That'll have to wait. Help us out here, these aviatars are getting frisky"  
  
"Avia-whats?"  
  
"Head north about five miles at now thirty-thousand feet. Reno, your call sign is 'Turkey 1'"  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Are those your friends I detect on radar?"  
  
"Yeah, a Tomcat and a Harrier"  
  
"I or II?"  
  
"I can't say"  
  
"Hey Reno, its Elena! I told you we could fly"  
  
"Shaky as hell, ya know"  
  
"You're not a very good pilot either. This is almost nothing like those airships"  
  
"But you know the basics. Elena, Rude, this is AWACS, Blue 42. You two are Turkeys 2 and 3. Head five miles north to engage"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm not taking you back to your planet, even if it is temporary, until you help us. Over and out"  
  
With that in mind, MIG-29, F-14A, and AV-8B flew north, shakily at first, and then smoother. The 'Turkeys' were going to join the fight.  
  
***  
  
Hours later, the bodies of the aviatars, hit with bullets, blown in half, flown right through, or burned by engines littered the ocean and the beach near Balamb. The garden came to a stationary position uncomfortably close to the port town.  
  
Raijin and Fujin who were at the dock fishing at the time heard the sound along with the other seventy-eight residents of Balamb.  
  
***  
  
Oren, Nida, and Squall came back to the bridge exhausted from the air battle.  
  
"Are they all taken care of?" Quistis asked Squall.  
  
"Yeah. But Oren says we have a new problem."  
  
Everyone present groaned.  
  
"Kappa and Lambda have made it to Balamb field. And they don't look like they're going to back off. I don't want to risk losing anyone, so I'll try to teleport this garden somewhere else, but it requires more than one person for something so large. So I'll try to--"  
  
"That won't be necessary" Eta said, appearing silently with Theta and Mu from out of the blue.  
  
Anyone that was able prepared for battle, and Nida's hand hovered over the P. A. system speaker.  
  
"Why are you here? We can't fight you right now, give us time to--"  
  
"Hold on" Mu cut Oren off. Mu was a strongly build one, wore the same design as Theta and tied his mass of red hair behind him in a ponytail.  
  
"We didn't come to kill you. Looks like your telling the truth, Oren"  
  
Oren looked like he was about to faint and his hands fell at his side. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was:  
  
"Wha. . . ?"  
  
"Everyone, calm down" Mu said, waving around the bridge.  
  
"You see, we found files of the minute Omega's signals disappeared, and your signal was millions of miles away at the time. We know you're innocent. I showed Eta and Theta."  
  
"This is great! Just show everyone else the proof and--"  
  
"But you still killed Iota. The fact that you were desperately preaching truth makes up for that, though."  
  
". . . well, still. Just show Pyros and--"  
  
"Hold on! You're trying to stop him from acquiring this planet and others. Do you think he'll just forgive you?"  
  
"Are you still fighting against us?" Squall asked cautiously.  
  
"Us three, no. The others, we can't help you" Theta responded. He then walked next to Mu.  
  
"You see, the file expired. It self deleted. We have no way of proving to the others that you had nothing to do with Omega's death. As a matter of fact, they think we're traitors"  
  
"Traitors!?"  
  
"They have track of our signals. They see we're here without any sort of aggression. They'll kill us" Eta explained.  
  
"You seem awfully calm about this. Do you have anything planned?"  
  
"Oren, the agony we've forced you into over these five years is unforgivable. We have something that will give you an awesome advantage. But of course, we can't tell you yet." Theta turned and began walking off.  
  
"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"  
  
Eta walked after him to the elevator, and Mu as well. First, he turned around for a little more of a message.  
  
"Let Xu stay here and watch the control room. Oren, tell the rest of them to gather up every other 'charged' fighter and exit Esthar Garden. We think we can help your party greatly"  
  
As suddenly as they had appeared, the three fighters that appeared turned- around left the bridge in silence.  
  
"Oren?" Squall shook his shoulder when he didn't move.  
  
"Oh, you wanted something?"  
  
"Will we follow them? Is it a trap?"  
  
"They're too powerful to need a trap. Tell Nida to call everyone and help order them at the front. Leave Xu here to make sure the bridge stays under control" Oren said as he ran into the elevator.  
  
Squall gave the order, putting the garden into another flurry of activity and leaving Xu alone on the bridge.  
  
***  
  
Eta, Theta, and Mu walked to face Kappa and Lambda. Kappa looked at them and laughed.  
  
"Traitors, huh? What's up with you guys?"  
  
None of them spoke.  
  
"You both realize that Nu and Xi are on their way. We'll have them take care of you; you know Pyros doesn't forgive traitors."  
  
They stayed quiet.  
  
Nu crashed in through the glass top of the bridge, followed by Xi. They both landed behind Xu who quickly spun in her chair and reached for the security system alarm.  
  
Xi cracked a knuckle and suddenly the system wouldn't work.  
  
"St-state your business here! Who are you!" Xu asked more courageously than she felt, standing up from her seat and leveling the gun from under the seat.  
  
"Xu, is that you?" Nu asked coolly, sitting down on the ground.  
  
"Identify yourself!" she said strictly, inching her way towards the door.  
  
"You've gotten much older" Xi said, suddenly behind her blocking off the exit.  
  
She decided to become more formal.  
  
"I don't know any of you. I've never seen you before. But I can have you in trouble for the damage you just caused to the roof"  
  
"Come with us, Xu, you belong" Xi said simply.  
  
She shook the brown hair out of her eyes, doubling for a shake of her head.  
  
"Then we'll have to use force." Nu and Xi said in unison.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: The week of updating for this fic has begun. Hooray for summer! Now I can finish this fic twice as fast! Oh, I took a reviewers advice for the mental conversation in chapter 13, by putting captions. I attempted to make it italicized the first time, but for some reason the italics won't show up when I upload the chapters to fanfiction.net. Go figure. Also, I purposely vaguely covered the aerial battle because I'm going to put in a flight log, which consists of all the radio communications from it. It has no effect on the story whatsoever, and you don't even have to read it if you don't feel like it, just if you want a clearer view of what happened to the aviatars. The flight log won't be as long as chapter 14, so don't worry about a long wait. I'll be putting it in before chapter 14, but I'll probably end up doing them at the same time. 


	15. Flight Log

Flight Log of Fantasy Thunder Chapter Fourteen: Xi  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
(I don't usually have these notes at the beginning, but this is different. This is a flight log of the chapter fourteen aerial battle, and includes all of the radio transmissions from the fight with aviatars, if you don't already know. This is in no way related to the development of the story. This also lacks a lot of descriptive elements, think of it as a half-recording from the fight.)  
  
"Uh . . . this is AWACS. Here in the 'military' we use call signs. Usually for security, but not in this case since the enemy isn't sentient. Pyros could still be listening in. I trust you all know call signs and military talk?" Oren asked over the communications.  
  
Affirmative responses rung out from the communications.

"Good. Okay, my call sign will be 'Blue 42'. Nida, you're 'Sonic 5'" Oren announced.  
  
"I thought 'S' was Sierra?" Nida questioned.  
  
"We're changing things around. Regent Cid, you're Romeo 3. Al Bhed Cid, you're Echo 4. Headmaster, you'll be Hero 2. Highwind, you're Apocalypse 1. All right?"  
  
More affirmative responses jumbled themselves up.  
  
"Good. Three hundred and eight bandits spotted five miles north and closing at seventy-two mph at vector three-two-zero. Right in front of you. Keep flying to intercept them. You're cleared to engage."  
  
"Sonic Five. It's been a while since I've flown . . . . "  
  
"I've got a U2 and an SR-71 here. Which one is better for me to use for AWACS?" Oren asked.  
  
"Apocalypse One here. Those don't seem like good AWACS planes."  
  
"I know, but I'll be around and will need to relay information about the fight back and forth to garden. The communications there are down and I need a fast plane."  
  
"Oh. Then the Blackbird sounds good."  
  
Nida noticed the plane already begin a fast approach from the huge section to the rear of him.

"How the heck are you going that fast?"  
  
"Blue 42 here. Sonic Five, keep in mind that this is reconnaissance aircraft. Of course it goes fast."  
  
"I see . . . . "  
  
"Blue 42 again. Make sure that your helmets are on tight, and all your gear is on right. Lets show these things what we're made of.  
  
"They're flooding the skies! This is He-"  
  
"Watch it! Hero, you have eighteen of them trying to take out your wing! All of you be on guard, that's what I'm here for, AWACS that is."  
  
"Friggin' screw that! Two of them are on my wing and trying to make me go down! They're eating my eagle! Apocalypse, over."  
  
"I'm too fast for them. This is Romeo 3, Fox 2.  
  
"I'm Sonic Five, enlighten me."

"You all are doing well so far . . . . and a 'Fox' is a missile.  
  
"I've got one on my windshield! On my windshield! Sonic Five, and I can't see!"  
  
"This is Echo telling you to accelerate, doggonit!  
  
"Easy for you to say in your nice plane, these things are too maneuverable for me!"  
  
" I got eight! The missile blew them all in half! This is Romeo telling you he's invincible . . . . . "  
  
"Whatever, that's only THREE HUNDRED MORE TO GO!!!"  
  
"AWACS telling you to Calm down, Highwind."  
  
"This is Hero Two. I shredded four of them with my guns. Apocalypse, did you shake them off of your wing?"  
  
" I got 'em off. Guess what? You can kill em' just by flying right through em'."  
  
"This thing is pretty damn nimble. Blue 42, can I change my call sign to a much worse name?"  
  
"Echo? Is that you?"  
  
"Yeah."

"Sorry, I don't have much time to experiment. Regent, stop flying like a king and get into the fight."  
  
" . . . I should shoot you down for that."  
  
"If ya'll are quite done, we have to fight!" Echo reminded them.  
  
"I'm Echo! A chunk of my wing is gone! My flight is hindered! Someone help!  
  
"Hero. I flew right through twelve of them! How many do we have now, Blue 42?"  
  
"You've gotten twenty-four. Two hundred and eighty-four left to go. I'll be keeping track."  
  
"Regent, did I tell you that your call sign sucked? From Apocalypse."  
  
"Quit you're joking and fly!"  
  
"Fine fine . . . I'm back! As long as I don't try to turn left, I won't go down. . . I just flew through another eighteen. Echo, over."  
  
"Two hundred and sixty-six left to go. . . Hero 2, Fox 1 through 3!"  
  
"Headmaster Cid here, I just got another twenty-eight of them!"  
  
"No way! Two hundred and thirty-eight targets remaining."  
  
"Nida here, I accelerated and flew right through them! More of 'em! MORE!  
  
"Daaamn, man. I saw him, he must of nailed a million. Apocalypse, over."  
  
"Nida. . . you just destroyed forty-eight more. . . and two just crashed into my thrusters."  
  
"Echo Four, can I get a report, AWACS?"  
  
"On what?"  
  
"How many of these things are still alive?"  
  
"You've gotten one hundred and eighty-eight"  
  
"That's still over a hundred to go! And there's blood all over the front of my plane! Sonic, over."  
  
"This is the Regent. I just shredded forty- four with some machine guns and two missiles."  
  
"Apocalypse speaking. I just got another forty-five by flying right through."  
  
"Don't worry Sonic; we're almost done here. 100 targets left. AWACS saying, you're all still ding well."  
  
"They're getting faster! Hero here, and I can't catch 'em!"  
  
"In that case, we may need assistance. You all need to be further on your guard."  
  
Reno's voice echoed in.

"Holy. . . I have to be more careful"  
  
"Reno, is that you? Holy hell, who told you you could fly!? Apocalypse, over."  
  
"Reno, this is AWACS. Call me Blue 42. Cid is Apocalypse 1. We need help here."  
  
"Oren! Er, Blue 42, we need you to get us back to our planet temporarily."  
  
"That'll have to wait. Help us out here, these aviatars are getting frisky."  
  
"Avia-whats?"  
  
"Head north about five miles at now thirty thousand feet. Reno, your call sign is 'Turkey 1'"  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Are those your friends I detect on radar?"  
  
"Yeah, a Tomcat and a Harrier."  
  
"I or II? This is AWACS, everyone."

"I can't say.""Hey Reno, its Elena! I told you we could fly."  
  
"Shaky as hell, Elena."  
  
"You're not a very good pilot either. This is almost nothing like those airships."  
  
"AWACS speaking. But you know the basics. Elena, Rude, this is AWACS, Blue 42. You two are Turkeys 2 and 3. Head five miles north to engage."  
  
"This is Turkey 2 asking 'What'?  
  
"I'm not taking you back to your planet, even if it is temporary, until you help us. Over and out."  
  
"It's Rude. I've got 'em . . . five of them are gone."  
  
"Only five? Get more!"  
  
"Cid, Don't rush him. I killed twenty-two more by flying right through! I'm good."  
  
"Keep your gear on. We've already been using that tactic. Echo speaking."  
  
"Seventy-three targets remaining. Turkeys, I may not be able to take you back, so don't get your hopes up.""Turkey Three . . . I got five more."  
  
"AWACS here, sixty-seven targets left."  
  
"Turkey here, got another one."  
  
"Don't bring Armageddon on us now. Left with sixes of those things? Apocalypse, over."  
  
"This is Romeo. I've seen Armageddon, and he smokes cigars."  
  
"Apocalypse is telling you to shut your mouth."  
  
"AWACS. Is 66 some sort of curse? Anyway I've taken three on a wing, there are sixty-three left."  
  
"You're listening to Echo. I just finished raiding a huge cluster, got thirty of 'em."  
  
"This is Blue 42. One more crashed into me, so we've got thirty-three left.""Sonic here, I burned up five more."  
  
"Eight more of 'em down. Apocalypse speakin'.""Goodness . . . . bodies are littering the beach. Echo, can you manage? This is AWACS."  
  
"I'm fine . . . . . "  
  
"AWACS here, Nine targets remaining.""Echo here, I got another one."  
  
"Bandit shredded by Sonic Five."  
  
"Regent Cid speaking, I flew right through one."  
  
"This is Hero Two, bandit shredded.""Fried the bitch with my jets. Don't mess with the apocalypse."  
  
"Aviatar down . . . . "T3 muttered.  
  
"Turkey Two here, great work."  
  
The Third Turkey said nothing."Missile hit from Turkey Two"  
  
"Turkey One, I flew right through two of them."  
  
" . . . . And I that's all of them. Nice work, everybody. Bandits are down, or no factor. All aircraft, RTB. Blue 42 saying, excellent work."  
  
--------------------------------------------END TRANSMISSION---------------- ----------------  
  
AN: You are a true fan of my fic if you are possessed to have actually read all of this. Anyone that has reviewed my fic thus far and this chapter deserves special recognition. Anyway, Chapter 15: Omicron is coming soon. 


	16. Chapter 15: Omicron

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Fifteen: Omicron  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Omicron. . . a fighter shrouded in mystery that has never even appeared more than twice.  
  
"All 'qualified' fighters that participated in the Eta-Lambda incident proceed to the front door of Esthar garden immediately!"  
  
That was the announcement that had been heard by everyone in garden. In minutes dozens of tired people poured their way out of the garden like antibodies to a virus, with the exception of a few. That morning would be an important turning point in the small war.  
  
Facing garden were Lambda and Kappa, looking surprised at three traitors, backed by Oren, who was backed by quite a few insignificant others.  
  
"It seems you're backed by quite a few insignificant others" Kappa claimed raising his hand casually.  
  
Oren tapped Mu's shoulder, who turned to look at him as if he had to be somewhere else.  
  
"Just what are you planning?"  
  
"In due time" was his only reply.  
  
Slowly the last few filed from garden to come in behind a small crowd through which nothing was visible.  
  
Mu pulled three futuristic guns from unseen holsters, and handed one to Eta, the other to Theta.  
  
"What do you plan on doing with that?" Lambda asked them.  
  
In unison, the three held them to their heads, making Kappa raise an eyebrow.  
  
"Gungrave Seppuku? You've gotta be kidding."  
  
Oren was getting panicked.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing? We need help here!"  
  
Theta looked at him strictly.  
  
"You and your fighters will be just fine. But I'm doing this for you. Not those scum!" he said, pointing to those behind him.  
  
"And don't ask me what we have against them. If they need to be told, they truly are scum!"  
  
". . . I will never understand Pyros or the people he trains"  
  
Theta produced no response, and turned to face the gun he had pointed to himself.  
  
In perfect synchronization, the three spun the guns and shot themselves directly in the head, making the whole crowd jump at the sudden gunshot.  
  
Oren looked in horror as the three bodies with neat circles in their foreheads and lifeless, open eyes fell to the ground, and began to materialize in pillars of light.  
  
Lambda smiled.  
  
"They were too afraid to face us? Cowardly traitors." He turned to Kappa.  
  
"I have to report this. Can you clean up the mess?"  
  
"Not a prob--" Kappa didn't finish as Lambda blasted into the sky.  
  
"Hmm. Well, you all are all that's left."  
  
Everyone began to fan out around Kappa, hoping that their combined force would be enough.  
  
Slowly, a smile spread across Oren's lips.  
  
"That won't be necessary. Everyone, back inside. Cloud, Squall, Zidane and Tidus please remain."  
  
The crowd wasn't hesitant to descend back to the garden until only the particular four were left.  
  
"What are you doing? You think four would be able to handle me?"  
  
"Uh. . . " Tidus put a hand on Oren's shoulder.  
  
"What's up. You got a plan?"  
  
"Oh. . . believe me. I don't NEED a plan. Everyone, put away your weapons"  
  
Squall's jaw dropped to the ground.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I know what I'm doing."  
  
Cloud was the last one to sheath his weapon.  
  
"Good. Cloud, punch Kappa"  
  
Cloud looked like he was going to have a heart attack.  
  
"It would be the greatest of understatements to say that that was easier said than done" was his reply.  
  
"Just try to hit him"  
  
"I'm getting impatient over here! Do I have to kill you all?" Kappa yelled.  
  
In a flash Cloud disappeared and his fist was driven straight into Kappa's abdomen.  
  
Kappa coughed up blood and flew back onto the grass. From the look of things, it was impossible to tell who was more surprised, Kappa or Cloud. Cloud still held his fist, wide eyed.  
  
"Did YOU do that?" Kappa asked shakily standing.  
  
"Did I do that?" Cloud asked his trembling fist.  
  
"Oh yes! See Kappa? Everyone on my side is probably at least five times more powerful! You're toast!" Oren danced like he had back at the end of the Alpha-Zeta incident.  
  
"What are you dancing about Murasaki!? What happened?"  
  
"You fool! Eta, Theta and Mu didn't kill themselves for nothing! Their power is ours! We all hold their power!"  
  
Kappa stepped back.  
  
"Y-you're lying!"  
  
"Squall, you and Tidus get to the bridge, if you don't mind. In fourteen seconds"  
  
The two looked at each other.  
  
"How?" Tidus spoke up.  
  
"Fly" Oren said simply.  
  
"But how do we fly?"  
  
"If you need to ask, you'll never be able to find out . . . its like asking me how to breathe"  
  
Squall looked at his temporary partner and shrugged his shoulders. He closed his eyes and in a few seconds light wrapped them both up.  
  
"Should we stop?" Tidus asked worriedly.  
  
Squall didn't pay any attention as he blasted off into the noon sky leaving a rumble in his wake. Tidus followed and was alarmed.  
  
"Woah!"  
  
He grabbed on to the Caladbolg to keep it from falling as he felt himself increasing speed, looking at Squall above who seemed as if he were trying to stop rising up.  
  
As suddenly as it had begun the two stopped directly over Esthar Garden, staring down at two holes in the area leading to the bridge from the top.  
  
Squall clutched his heart.  
  
"Great Hyne, I don't think I want to do that anymore." He said, putting his arms out as if to steady himself, more frightened than amazed at getting so high with minimum energy. He slowly descended into the crude holes over the bridge, Tidus shakily floating in after him.  
  
***  
  
Xu was now trembling in fear. Why had they left her alone?  
  
"We'll make this easier on you, sister" Xi said in a fake comfort tone.  
  
"Do you remember where you were before you were fourteen?"  
  
"Of course . . . a little . . . not a lot . . . no. not at all."  
  
Nu stood up.  
  
"You see? Its because you were with us before then. Come, come back with us and we can give you a better life. We can take you away from the losing side of this meaningless battle and give you more than you ever desired."  
  
Before Xu could give any response, Squall and Tidus dropped in from above with their weapons drawn.  
  
"You only send two this time? Come Xi, sister will have to wait"  
  
"Hey, don't just brush us off like that, you shouldn't be as arrogant as before, I'll tell you that!" Tidus for the first time found it hard to not break the hilt of the sword with his grip.  
  
Smiles crossed the twin fighters' lips, and in a flash, their fists embedded themselves in the chests of Squall and Tidus.  
  
Squall waited for the pain, but none came. Someone else was in pain, though.  
  
"Dammit!" Xi and Nu screamed at the same time and retreated, clutching their bloody knuckles.  
  
"What kind of steroids have you been taking!?" Nu asked in awe, pointing his good hand partially at Squall.  
  
Squall just looked at Tidus.  
  
"I don't think I'll need my gunblade for this. How about you?"  
  
The blitzer's response was a sheathing of the Caladbolg.  
  
Nu and Xi looked back at Xu.  
  
"We'll see you later. Xi and I have to do a little recalibrating."  
  
With that he blasted into the sky and didn't come back down.  
  
***  
  
Zidane stared at his fist, in as much awe as Cloud. Kappa had taken a solid blow to the head, not even looking alive.  
  
"Don't worry, you didn't kill him" Oren said, walking over. "That was just a demonstration of the power you now have. Winning should be no problem now if we just stay together."  
  
He put a hand on the unconscious Zatach, and sent him probably back to Pyros' ship with a flash of blue. He turned to face them.  
  
"Well, now all we have to do is locate Pyros' ship and make him surrender or something. While I figure that out, you all just sit tight, chat, fight, run, exercise, eat, sleep, read, fly, practice, take pictures, finish homework, right a novel, give someone a hug, smile, hang, chill, play, swing, or any thing else that occupies you. I'm going to sit around in the conference room doing nothing . . . "  
  
***  
  
Quistis looked up at the ceiling and tsked.  
  
"Squall, thanks to that hole in the ceiling, we won't be able to fly. It will be impossible to maintain pressure inside the bridge if we do."  
  
Squall sighed.  
  
"Then I guess we're going to have to figure out some other way to move. Xu, would you mind--"  
  
He stopped when he saw Xu in her seat shaking.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I-I need to talk to Oren." She said before looking at Quistis.  
  
"Could you come with me?"  
  
Quistis had never seen Xu this shaken. Nothing had ever seemed to get her scared.  
  
"Sure. What's the matter?"  
  
"I'll tell you when we get there" she said, standing up. "But I need to see Oren first. I saw him going to the conference room through one of the cameras."  
  
Quistis hesitantly followed her to the elevator and down the shaft with Squall looking at them and being intrigued the whole time.  
  
***  
  
Oren noticed that the conference room was empty. Just as he was sitting down to get a break, Reno, Rude, Elena, and Vincent burst in.  
  
" . . . Can I help you?"  
  
"Yeah" Rude said immediately.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Look, I need you to get us back to our planet and. . . do you wash those clothes?"  
  
". . . This is Zatach fabric, imported from the finest corners of the Uras region. All they need to do to repel dirt particles is stay within open oxygenated atoms and in turn they--"  
  
"Yeah yeah, spare me the lecture."  
  
You're the one that asked Oren thought.  
  
"Look, can you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Get us back to our planet for Vincent's job!"  
  
"Is this really that important? I'll have to go with you to get you back and--"  
  
"Can't you just leave that Jessica girl to look over things, WE NEED THAT 1000 GIL!"  
  
Oren stood up.  
  
"Fine. Just let me concentrate."  
  
Xu burst into the conference room and stormed down the long table to Oren.  
  
". . . Can I help you?"  
  
"I want to go to the Seraph orphanage!" she said immediately. "And take Quistis, too"  
  
"I'm actually a bit busy"  
  
Xu grabbed his arm.  
  
"Please? Its very important to my past!"  
  
Oren put a hand to his head.  
  
"Okay, look. I'll take all of you at once, but we have to go to the Reno's destination first"  
  
Xu nodded rapidly.  
  
"Alright. But please hurry"  
  
Oren concentrated to bring the group of seven including himself across space.  
  
***  
  
"So if you're from another planet, then how can you understand us?" Seifer asked Jessica as the two leaned on the railing.  
  
"Special devices are installed into our heads at birth so that the thoughts and feelings of other species are translated into words we can understand, and vice versa. I actually hear you speaking ancient Zatach, but when I talk to you, you hear me speaking your own language."  
  
"Why are do Cloud's eyes glow like that?"  
  
"Don't ask me, I've been wondering that myself. Maybe we could ask him?"  
  
"Or one of his friends"  
  
Of course Seifer wasn't really interested, he was just trying to make conversation.  
  
"You think I could arm wrestle you or something to see how much stronger I've gotten?"  
  
In response Jessica pulled up her sleeve, making Seifer jump. The muscles, particularly biceps and triceps, were powerful-looking, and surprising to see on a female. They were bigger than Seifer's, in fact.  
  
"Uh . . . "  
  
"Come on, I spent five years of my life on a transport ship with nothing better to do than exercise"  
  
"Right." Seifer put his elbow on the railing and the two clasped hands.  
  
"You can start anytime" she said.  
  
He tried pushing with all his might, and was surprised when her hand started to tremble.  
  
"What. . . ?" she tried pushing back, but somehow Seifer found the strength to move her hand further and further down.  
  
Once she was pinned on the invisible barrier on the other side of the railing, she examined her hand.  
  
"Seifer, you must have been doing a load of training, because you're five times tougher than you were a few minutes ago"  
  
"Weird. I must have trained harder than I thought." He said while looking at his own arm.  
  
"Really. You know, I heard that this garden lost its ability to move due to a hole in the top. We may be stuck here, so is there anything you need to do?"  
  
Fujin and Raijin back at Balamb popped into his head.  
  
"Darn, I forgot about my friends that I left a while ago. They must be worried sick."  
  
"You have friends back at Balamb?"  
  
"Maybe you and I can go to meet them there. They must be worried sick. I'll bet Raijin is complaining. Probably something like 'I can't believe he left and never came back, ya know'"  
  
***  
  
"I can't believe he left and never came back, ya know!" Raijin yelled to the sky. He and Fujin were at the edge of Balamb at the city limits overlooking the Esthar Garden whose presence had been rumored. They had seen some people gather, a bunch leave, and then felt a wave of power. Fujin knew that Raijin had gotten over Seifer's indefinite absence, and that he was complaining out of anger of not understanding the events, not their leader's disappearance.  
  
Of course the irresistible urge to kick him in the shins was hard to ignore, so she did just that.  
  
"Ahh! Ouch!" Raijin jumped up and down clutching his bruised appendage. He couldn't remember how many times she had kicked him in a lifetime for he had lost count at 22,0977.  
  
"It hurts! It burns! It stings! It aches! It smarts! It ouches! It pains, ya know!?"  
  
"QUIET. COWARD" Fujin scolded. The two had been waiting at the city limits for anyone from garden to arrive, because it might be Seifer. And they were just that desperate. Raijin hadn't been crazy about the idea, of course.  
  
After a few minutes had passed, two figures were visible on the horizon.  
  
***  
  
Zidane's Genome hearts began beating double as he approached the female dorm area. Before he had been interrupted by the announcement before he could go to her room, but now that was where he was headed.  
  
No one was exactly guarding it, so Zidane went into the 'tornado'. He would certainly be embarrassed if he was caught 'snooping' there. In his mind, he considered the female dorm area, where he wasn't supposed to be, as a tornado. Dagger's room would be the eye, where he was safe.  
  
A door right in front of him opened, and he scrambled behind it. Two girls came out with their backs to him. He quickly ran behind them, right in front of the open door. They said goodbye and one prepared to turn around.  
  
In a panic, Zidane ran into the room and dove under the bed.  
  
The female SeeD closed the door and locked it.  
  
Zidane's hearts began beating quadruple. Now he was locked inside another girl's dorm room.  
  
"Where's my knife?" she said to herself aloud.  
  
Crap was the only word that came to Zidane's head. He looked to the right of him in the cramped space, where a long knife rimmed in silver lay.  
  
From the crack under the bed, he could see her crouch down and reach under.  
  
Zidane tried not to gasp as he squirmed quietly out of the way of a grasping hand, and inched the knife to where he was.  
  
The hand, like an animal searching blindly for prey, grabbed the knife and pulled it from under.  
  
She crouched again as if to look for something, and Zidane summoned up all his courage and scrambled out from the other side, and was then behind her. She stood and turned around, Zidane moving parallel with her back the whole time, and then moved to the door.  
  
He started breathing again when she closed the door behind her, waited for the steps to fade away, and then ran out and towards Dagger's room, 666, trying to suppress the heart attack he thought he was having.  
  
Without even knocking, he opened the door and closed it, flattening his back against it. Fortunately, his wife was decent and reading a book at the end of her bed.  
  
"Hello Zidane" she said without looking up.  
  
"I . . . thought . . . you . . . were . . . supposed . . . to . . . give . . . me . . . clearance . . . "  
  
"Oh, I didn't expect you to come early. You didn't encounter any trouble, did you?"  
  
"No, not at all . . ."  
  
"Good. Zidane, I wanted to talk to you"  
  
"About what?" Zidane asked, regaining his breath and sitting down in front of the door as if to bar anyone from coming inside and discovering him.  
  
"When this ends, do we really want to return to Alexandria?"  
  
***  
  
Squall left the bridge and went back to his particularly big dorm room, where he sat down and tried to forget what happened the night before.  
  
"No. I won't believe it. There's no way in hell that I'm in any way related to that clown. This has to be some kind of joke. Or mind game. Or maybe it just didn't happen. Yeah. I imagined it all"  
  
Squall reverted to an old method of pretending that his problems didn't exist and lay on his back staring up at the ceiling. This bed was hundreds of times more comfortable than that rock of a mattress back at Balamb.  
  
What did they do with those old gardens, anyway? He thought to himself.  
  
Slowly, the thoughts led him to thinking again about his official duties as commander.  
  
"Well, we have to orient the town with some SeeDs, but Balamb is still two miles away" he said to himself.  
  
"What am I saying? We have jets! Then again, that would be a bit of an overkill . . . helicopters"  
  
Squall's head went back to the helicopter selection in the hangar. There were KA-50 Hokums, KA-60 Kasatka's, MI-24 Hinds, CH-47 Chinooks, AK-74s, and AK-64s. Not to mention a selection of classic Blackhawks. They could just fly in and tell the town what they were doing, simple garden procedure.  
  
I don't feel like going through all that. Maybe I should just cancel . . . or go there personally Squall thought again to himself. At first he thought that they were pure, untainted thoughts, and then remembered that he hated orientations and would never go himself unless he absolutely had to. When the real reason he wanted to leave for a while occurred to him, he sat up.  
  
I'm not going to spend my life running. I'm talking to Laguna.  
  
He stood up and headed out the doorway.  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth blinked at Rikku who had just come from wherever, wondering why she could still be interested in trying to hold his sword.  
  
"Are you sure? You realized that last time you couldn't move it?"  
  
"Come on! Maybe trying to lift it makes me stronger?"  
  
"Fine, fine, but don't expect any luck"  
  
He pulled out the Masamune and set it on the smooth floor in the sidelines of the fifth floor hallway. Rikku rubbed her hands together and clasped them both around the handle. Then, to Sephiroth's absolute surprise, she lifted it effortlessly.  
  
"But how! Impossible!"  
  
"I lifted it!" she praised herself by flipping the sword, twirling it, and swinging a few safe swings.  
  
"Unbelievable!" for the first time in his life Sephiroth's jaw dropped.  
  
"It was a short time ago that you couldn't even move it! And now you find it inside you to even swing it? What's your secret?"  
  
She gave the sword back to the owner and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"I just tried the same way I did before . . . did you find who you were looking for, by the way?"  
  
Sephiroth momentarily disregarded his awe and looked down thoughtfully.  
  
"Unfortunately no. I'm starting to think that Oren was lying about Jessica being around"  
  
"That's who you were looking for? She's around, all right. I saw her myself"  
  
"You did? Well that's a relief. In that case, I would prefer being with you . . . " the words just came out as if he had no control.  
  
Am I going soft? He thought.  
  
Rikku smiled at him.  
  
"I think you're going soft!"  
  
Dammit! He nearly thought aloud.  
  
***  
  
In the tropical branch of Esthar Garden, Kimahri silently followed Freya to finish the fight that they had started a day ago.  
  
"I think this was the spot" she said, stopping by the waterfall where they had been dueling before.  
  
The Ronso's answer was a switch to battle stance with his knees bent and the point of the lance held a few feet in front of his head.  
  
Freya already knew that none of her previous tactics would work, so she went straight for the special techniques. She concentrated on one of her newest techniques that she had been hoping to use before, the kamikaze air- razor.  
  
With only the back of her feet, she launched herself backwards into the air, careful not to hit the quickly approaching ceiling, and then plummeted back down.  
  
Kimahri expected an easy evasion, but began to panic when the Freya disappeared right in front of him.  
  
The Ronso twirled around out of pure instinct and slashed blindly upward.  
  
In a move of pure luck, the lance clashed with Freya's and it flew out of her hand.  
  
Before Kimahri could take advantage, however, Freya delivered a sidekick to Kimahri's side that sent the lance spinning out of his hand.  
  
With quick timing Kimahri extended his claws and began to go into a hand-to- hand fight before Freya put a hand out to stop him.  
  
"Remember, our agreement set on the rule that the disarmament of the opponent registers as a ground for victory. That would make it a tie."  
  
"Kimahri must say, you're very good"  
  
He saw no indication of her expression under her red hat, but Freya was smiling underneath it.  
  
"You are the only one I've ever fought who could defeat me lance-to-lance. Not even Fratley can defeat me anymore."  
  
Before Kimahri made a move for his lance, he heard Seymour talking in the background while Freya listened to Kuja. The two slunk over to the bushes and looked through to see the two sitting on a rock arguing about something.  
  
***  
  
"Yevon? That's nothing. I was fought by four people at once, fell five hundred feet, landed on a hard surface, and still made it out of an Iifa tree alive!"  
  
"I slaughtered dozens of Ronso warriors in twelve minutes!"  
  
"I wiped out half the population of Gaia!"  
  
"I provided excellent support in the fall of Sinspawn Gui without even lifting a finger!"  
  
"I could cast an Ultima spell at age three."  
  
"I could cast an Ultima spell at two and a half!"  
  
"I listened to a boy band sing for three hours, and only sent three of them to the infirmary!"  
  
"When Jimmy cracked corn, I didn't even care!"  
  
Kuja stepped back.  
  
"My goodness, I can't beat that."  
  
Seymour nodded his head triumphantly.  
  
"You certainly can't. It is truly a feat to not care about a small boy that cracks corn."  
  
"Even so, I could probably defeat you in a one-on-one fight"  
  
"You think so?" Seymour launched himself back twenty feet in front of a gigantic palm tree and pushed himself to his second most powerful form, Flux.  
  
Crystal wings thrust themselves behind him and a Mortichoris floated around his head. Alloy plates covered his whole body and made him look much bigger as he floated in the air.  
  
Kuja yawned.  
  
"Big guns don't mean a thing. Its all in the power."  
  
He contradicted his statement when his fur turned red and his tail stuck straight out. His Trance mode enabled him to float a good eight feet.  
  
Any SeeD within the area retreated. No one wanted to be around when the storm hit.  
  
***  
  
Oren appeared in Nibelheim, where nothing seemed out of place.  
  
He turned around and looked to the group behind him.  
  
"If you have anything to do, then do it. I can't stay here for long."  
  
Reno, Rude and Elena immediately followed Vincent to the mansion where they would investigate whatever strange happenings had been concerning them.  
  
Xu and Quistis retreated the other way to what looked like an inn.  
  
The Shinra employees had decided it was pointless to keep up their charade, and left, leaving the place a ghost town. Then people that had actually lived their flooded the town.  
  
The innkeeper had been reading a magazine, but when he saw he had customers he looked up momentarily to hand Xu a key and she paid the necessary gil. The two walked up the stairs and to the left into the old fashioned room.  
  
"Do you think that they're behind in technology? This place doesn't seem much different from our planet fifty years ago" Quistis commented.  
  
"From what I've heard, some of these planets have technological development spread across the globe. We can't really talk, when you compare Esthar and Winhill" Xu answered.  
  
"I suppose your right" Quistis said, sitting down on one of the beds overlooking the window.  
  
Xu sat down on one opposite of Quistis.  
  
"So tell me, Xu. What are you trying to investigate exactly?"  
  
Xu looked down and sighed.  
  
"Well, it started when I was fourteen and wandered onto an orphanage . . . "  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Another down. I'm 5/8 into the fic now. Well, I now have 30+ reviews! Keep 'em coming, cause good reviews make a happy author. And happiness is a great repellent for writer's block! 


	17. Chapter 16: Pi

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Sixteen: Pi  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Pi is the holder of all information. A leak in her brain can bring about our defeat.  
  
"Seraph orphanage was an orphanage on the northern side of Galbadia. During the second sorceress war, Adel killed a lot of people there. I was sent there because my parents were nowhere to be found. I woke up in a pile of rubble, a burnt down house, and I couldn't remember anything. I didn't know my name, my age, where I came from, it even took me a while to figure out what I looked like."  
  
Quistis listened intently as Xu spilled out the details of her story. It occurred to her that while others had mentioned details of their past, Xu had said nothing and remained silent.  
  
"There were a few sorceresses on the north side that weren't interested in world conquest, but the people hated them anyway. They managed orphanages across the coast, and there were two in the Seraph orphanage. One of them used her power to tell me how old I was; fourteen. One would try and help me find my past; the other would manage the growing number of kids."  
  
"I never knew there were so many orphanages around the world. I always thought Edea's was the only one"  
  
"Edea's was probably the only one in the south. The war had a much greater effect on the north where Adel's forces were concentrated."  
  
"Makes sense . . . go on"  
  
"One year later, a little after the war ended news of a Balamb Garden reached the Seraph orphanage. Now, the ages for admission are five to twelve, but then they ranged from eleven to sixteen. The white SeeD ship shuttled me and a few others there. A little north, Fastitocalon attacked the ship. The SeeDs destroyed them but not before one got a piece of my arm. At the garden I was taken to the infirmary, and they looked for my records in their database. The scary thing was that they had no data on me. Not a birth record, blood type, living history, parents, siblings, name, nothing. They had to make up stuff on the spot, test my blood, basically make a history for me. They asked me my name and I told them the one the caretakers had given me. They asked my why they called me 'Xu', and I told them it was because they found a symbol on the back of my neck that represented those letters in an ancient alphabet. When those two guys came through the top of the garden to the bridge, I saw something on one that reminded me of Seraph orphanage."  
  
"May I ask what thing you saw?"  
  
"No you may not" Xu said neutrally.  
  
"Will I find out later?" Quistis asked her.  
  
"Maybe. But we have to get there first"  
  
***  
  
The Turks followed Vincent around the corner and down the dark hallway to the room where he had mentioned foul play.  
  
Vincent had stressed stealth, which was easy for him who could move without making a sound, but all through the hallway the Turks were making all kinds of mistakes and noisily giving themselves away.  
  
"Can't you move more quietly?" Vincent asked them in a hushed voice.  
  
"I don't know how you can see where you're going" Elena hissed through the dark.  
  
"Halt" he put his hand out and stopped the mercenaries from moving any further.  
  
"Can you hear that?"  
  
" . . . next time . . . faster . . . get caught . . . "  
  
"Don't . . . move . . . faster, . . . about yourself . . . "  
  
Two faint voices were heard coming from the very room that Vincent had instructed them to move to.  
  
" . . . know . . . Oren . . . close . . . "  
  
". . . trying . . . . me . . . leave . . . anyway . . . "  
  
"Did you hear that?" Rude asked the darkness.  
  
"Quiet, or we'll be discovered" Vincent instructed.  
  
" . . . do . . . girl . . . caught . . .?"  
  
"Just . . . over with . . . kill . . . "  
  
That was enough incentive for Vincent to lurch himself forward and into the room. Two men with black glasses were by his old coffin. They looked at each other, nodded, and opened the air. A blue hole out of nothing appeared and with a roar they launched themselves inside as it disappeared. It seemed very familiar . . .  
  
Vincent walked out and faced his soldiers for hire.  
  
"They left. And I do not know where"  
  
***  
  
"The Alexandrians think that because we are royalty we know not of 'tired' and 'fatigued' and 'torn'. They think we're perfect and expect us to solve any problem that they throw at us. Can I really live like that for the rest of my life?" she asked Zidane.  
  
"Well, you are a queen, right?"  
  
She just looked at him.  
  
"Ironically I don't really know. Where will we go if we don't go back to Alexandria?"  
  
"We could just stay here for the rest of our lives!"  
  
Zidane raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What happened to you? You never seemed to grieve about the duties of a queen before. Come to think of it, you technically have more power than me so why ask my opinion?"  
  
"Its not that I'm asking you to choose for me, I just want to be convinced whether or not to make a decision. Consider this: If we remained here, we could spend all of our time together. We wouldn't have to participate in those agonizingly formal ceremonies, and we could stay where we are as long as we liked as long as we brought capital into the garden."  
  
"Well, that's all nice and good, but what about the people? Could we just abandon them? They hate my guts, but they're in love with you. The city is probably in chaos right now, but think of what would happen if they thought that their ruler would never return."  
  
She gave Zidane a surprised look.  
  
"Since when do you care so much? A few days ago you were complaining that they wouldn't leave you alone. I thought you of all people would want to escape from it."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Even if I hate it, it still doesn't make it wrong. Just like me liking something doesn't make it right. If you want to know what I think, its that we should go back and face reality when this is over."  
  
She smiled back.  
  
"Thank you. I feel much better now."  
  
"Don't mention it. I'll just be leaving now before someone finds out I'm over here."  
  
***  
  
Seifer had insisted that Jessica stay behind for the time being as he walked the rest of the way to Balamb. Over the horizon he could see two figures, but from his area of sight they were unrecognizable.  
  
I wish I could fly . . . he thought to himself. He remembered the feeling when he had flown last, and slowly, he felt light. He also felt like his walking was eased, as if he didn't have to step forward to move. When he looked down he noticed that he was hovering above the ground, and was getting higher.  
  
For some reason, he wasn't surprised. Instead he embraced the feeling and flew higher until he could clearly see Balamb. He went higher still, and he could see practically his half of the planet. He saw whales in the blue seas off in the distance, he saw Esthar Garden in all its glory, and he saw the snow tipped mountains that he was flying even higher than. All at once, he felt his heart beat faster, he felt his muscles tighten, and his eyes became keener. His vision grew stronger and he could clearly see the figures were Fujin and Raijin. He saw Jessica aiming with her gun, probably target practice. He could clearly read the signs all through the Balamb, and then he could hear.  
  
The sound was excellent. He heard Jessica put a magazine into the bottom, a squeeze, and the click, even her finger pulling the trigger, and then the now deafening blast as well as the rumble when it hit the mountainside. He heard Fujin and Raijin talking in the distance a sound of impact on flesh, and whining.  
  
"What's happening to me?"  
  
He tried something that he didn't think he could do. He opened his hands in front of him and a roaring blue portal appeared. He thought of where he wanted to be and thrust himself into it. In a second he reappeared beside his friends, who looked at him in amazement.  
  
"S-seifer? What the hell happened to you, ya know?"  
  
"SEIFER?"  
  
"Hello to you guys, too. I see you're happy to see me."  
  
"Buddy!"  
  
While Fujin really couldn't bring herself to hug someone, she gave a rare smile. Not a small one but a wide one.  
  
Raijin, on the other hand, launched himself forward and latched onto his almost forgotten "partner in crime"  
  
"I thought they killed ya! I thought Squall threw you in the ocean! But look at ya, ya know!"  
  
"As much as I like supporting you AND my own body weight, it'd be nice if you would get off. I'm glad to see you, too."  
  
Raijin got off.  
  
"Are you going to stay? We opened a little fish market. I was thinking you could be the bouncer--"  
  
"In a fish market?"  
  
"What's wrong with that? Haven't you played the video game?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"?"  
  
"Well, I have someone for you guys to meet"  
  
Seifer put his arms around both of them, and then the three of them disappeared.  
  
***  
  
Oren had found a nice bench at the edge of town and was about to have a much-needed sit, when Reno bounded up behind him.  
  
"Hey lazy-ass, we need you."  
  
"What now? Haven't I done enough for you all?"  
  
"No. We saw two guys"  
  
"So?"  
  
"They did that opening-in-limbo thing like you do to get us places"  
  
"You're kidding"  
  
"No, seriously. I have 1000 gil riding on this, help me out."  
  
"Fine then, just describe them to me." Oren's tired legs were depressed as he stood back up.  
  
"Vincent said they were both black haired with sunglasses"  
  
"I thought you said that you saw them?"  
  
"Whatever helps us out is good enough for me."  
  
"Well, one of them could have been Omicron, but I find that highly unlikely."  
  
"They must have been like you if they could do what they did, right?"  
  
"Well, you've made a point but I don't know what kind of magic--" Oren cut himself of and looked into the sky, spaced out.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"You . . . you were right. There are Zatach in the area. Right above us. Powerful . . . what are they doing in this planet?" Oren said nothing more as he blasted upward sending Reno flying back into a tree.  
  
***  
  
Squall hurried down the hall to room 17. That had been the place that Laguna had yelled to find him before he had blocked out all memory of Esthar's President.  
  
He had left briskly and in a hurry, ignoring anything that anyone had said. Although he didn't like the idea of talking to that man, he still held answers that he needed. And he didn't like the idea of running away from them all his life, either.  
  
He subconsciously slowed his pace and realized why. He was getting closer no room 17. Refusing to let his fear dictate his movement, he shook this off and went into the final corridor. He boldly opened the door in front of him.  
  
***  
  
Zidane paced around the entrance of the training center, thoroughly bored out of his mind. He was hoping to find someone that would be fighting a monster, but no one seemed to be around at this hour. At first he paid no attention to the rustling that he heard in and around the area, but then he was so desperate for entertainment he immediately followed the source of the first thing he heard.  
  
Zidane was beyond relieved when he saw Tidus with his sword out fighting two grats and a bite bug. The large mosquito charged him first, and in one fluid movement Tidus flipped out of the way and brought his sword down upon the aggressor before it even knew what hit it. One grat decided it was better off running, but the other one rubbed its vines releasing a sleeping fluid, making the blitzer crouch down in an unnatural sleep. To push the attack the other grat brought forth gastric juice from its mouth landing right on its prey, waking up Tidus with a start.  
  
Zidane felt that he should step in but then Tidus rushed with the sword outstretched, then went back and slashed, slid, ran again and slashed, and did this three more times until the grat fell.  
  
Zidane came out of the bushes applauding.  
  
"Hey, that was great. I've been aching for entertainment for hours."  
  
Tidus looked at him strangely.  
  
"Why didn't you just fight a monster yourself?"  
  
"What? Good idea. I will!"  
  
Suddenly the two heard the sounds of monsters retreating, which included stomping, fluttering, and shuffling to a safe distance.  
  
"Am I that good?" Zidane thought aloud as he looked around.  
  
"Look out!" Tidus yelled, dropping his sword and knocking Zidane to the ground when two stray blasts flew from a clearing to the right of them, leaving a trail of destroyed land.  
  
"What the?!" Zidane bolted up and followed the source of the power with Tidus at his heels, who doubled back to retrieve the Caladbolg before continuing. When they stopped at another clearing Tidus recoiled at the sight of Seymour Flux, ignoring Kuja who stood circling him.  
  
". . . I didn't know he could still do that! Hey Kuja! That almost killed you last time!"  
  
Zidane's 'brother' sacrificed not a shred of attention for he was focused on what seemed to be his opponent.  
  
"There's no way that Kuja guy'll be any match for Seymour"  
  
"You don't know Kuja like I do. If you insist, then why don't you fight with him?"  
  
"Are you CRAZY?" He asked, staring right at Zidane who wasn't staring back.  
  
"Why not? You know his secrets, and I know Kuja's. Maybe it would be interesting."  
  
"You know what, what the heck? But only because I wanna prove something."  
  
Tidus trotted over and slowed down as he neared Seymour.  
  
"I don't need your help" Seymour said robotically as he locked his focus on Kuja.  
  
"I don't think you do, but you might need someone to keep him occupied" he jerked a thumb to Zidane who slapped hands and shook tails with Kuja.  
  
". . . I can handle them both. Don't you have something to be doing? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you're not exactly my favorite person"  
  
"Right back at you. But you're going back to the farplane, so what do I have against you?"  
  
". . . "  
  
Kuja and Zidane seemed to talk, and then Kuja lost power and went back to normal. In his surprise Seymour did, as well.  
  
"What's going on!?" Tidus called.  
  
"We decided on a little plan, but we have to let Kuja here recover so that he can be at full power. You guys should think of a strategy or something, in the meantime. Just sit tight!"  
  
"You shouldn't have any trouble unleashing power" Tidus said, sitting down.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"With all your issues, it shouldn't be a problem being at full strength all the time, right?"  
  
Seymour narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Its no wonder you were so rude to me for so long. You don't even know a thing about me"  
  
"Oh yeah, then tell me"  
  
Seymour leaned on a tree.  
  
"It isn't a pretty story."  
  
***  
  
Oren flew hard and fast towards the sky, feeling that he was just half a mile away. In a few seconds the stopped in mid air among the clouds and began looking around him for the two signals he felt, and according to the lower-back portion of his brain, were still there. He slowly turned around and saw the two he was looking for, staring right back at him. One he didn't recognize, the other he knew from years ago.  
  
"Omicron. What were you doing--"  
  
"Silence!" He held out his hand to quiet his enemy, and took his sunglasses off.  
  
"We needed to come here so you wouldn't interfere with our business"  
  
The one next to him was silent.  
  
"Because, Oren, what we were doing was very delicate. VERY delicate. So, we won't bother you . . . " Omicron backed off slightly, his youth barely showing except for the still bright hair that fell over equally bright eyes.  
  
"This doesn't concern you."  
  
"What are you doing Omicron? I heard foul play was involved."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Pi, as you know, knows everything important about us. Recently something has been making her forget, and we are going through methods to MAKE her remember."  
  
Oren became angry.  
  
"Are you implying torture?"  
  
"Am I?"  
  
Omicron and the stranger disappeared, along with their power signal.  
  
Oren flew back down to find Reno rubbing his head and giving him a poisonous look.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"Look Reno, I think this is a little more serious than I initially thought" Oren told him, landing next to him.  
  
"That was Omicron. I don't know who the other guy was. I think they're torturing someone."  
  
"Good. We can get our money and go home."  
  
Oren looked amazed.  
  
"You . . . you know someone's being hurt and you only care about your profit?"  
  
"Hey! I can't compete with any of those guys you're chasing around so leave me out of it."  
  
"I'm your only transportation. You'll help me or walk back to Turk headquarters on the other side of the planet."  
  
"Okay! Okay! Geez. . . "  
  
Reno crossed his arms and turned around.  
  
Oren was ready to sit down and analyze the situation button Xu rushed up to him.  
  
"Can I go to the Seraph orphanage? Please? I'm really in a bit of a hurry."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Okay, I'll take you and Quistis there but I'll have to leave you along for a while. I might check up every now and then but I'll have to stay here"  
  
"Agreed. I'm very eager to find more of my past."  
  
"Fine. Get Quistis and I'll take you. But hurry, I have to investigate."  
  
Xu rushed back to the inn and Oren finally sat down.  
  
***  
  
Squall opened the door and found Laguna sitting down on the side of his bed reading something. The man looked up and seemed relieved and surprised to find Squall there. He immediately put the book down on a dresser and made eye contact with the unexpected visitor.  
  
"Uh, well what brings you around at this--"  
  
"You know very well what brings me around at this time" Squall abruptly cut Laguna off.  
  
"Oh. Silly me, I should have known. Cards! We have all kinds around here! We have poker, five-card draw . . . "  
  
"Aren't those the same thing?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"You should know why I'm here"  
  
"Fine. I admit it! I just didn't have any cash on me! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I know it! I'll pay you back the fourteen dollars and twenty-two cents I owe you!"  
  
Squall gave him a look.  
  
"You forgot about it? Heh heh, well, uh, forget I said anything"  
  
"Where were you all those years when I was in that orphanage thinking I had no parents? Where was my mother? And how could you go off somewhere probably knowing you had some son?"  
  
"Well . . . " the man stood up trying to formulate an explanation.  
  
"About your mother . . . she . . . "  
  
"Just tell me where she is. If I can't get anything from you I'll find her!"  
  
"Squall. You don't want to know where your mother is."  
  
The look on his face made a contradiction, causing Laguna to look down to the ground and heave a long depresses sigh. He pointed straight up, Squall slowly following with his cold gaze. Of course, Squall didn't understand.  
  
"She died a long time ago. Childbirth. I'm sorry. . . "  
  
"Oh yeah? Where were you the whole time?"  
  
"I had actually been away, looking for Ellone. She was taken by Esthar. When I found her I told her to stay in the orphanage for a while. I knew Cid and Edea, they were capable people. I got a letter from Ellone while returning to Winhill. It said that you were there. She described you, and inside I knew but I didn't bring myself around to it. Later I accepted it. You were my son and you'd have much more of a home there. Besides, the people of Esthar accepted me, they told me I had saved them, and that I should lead them."  
  
"So you ignored me for a place in Esthar government?"  
  
"That's not it! I just was afraid to face reality! I had probably missed your first words, your first steps, everything. I could you know me as your father? Esthar was my escape, but when you came, grown like that, so much like your mother, I knew I couldn't hide anymore. You became everything I wasn't and more. I'm so sorry I wasn't there, but it looks like you didn't need me, seeing the fine person you've become. Now, I just want to be--"  
  
"That's enough. I've heard enough!"  
  
"Wait!"  
  
His words were ignored as Squall stormed out, and made it a point to slam the door.  
  
When he expected answers, he was only filled with more questions. He stormed down the hall in a flurry, not caring who saw him.  
  
Crap. I'm letting my nature come back and get to me again . . . he ignored to tears rolling down his eyes.  
  
" . . . Father" he said under his breath.  
  
He looked at the elevator, then the railing, and launched himself over, falling freely to the ground. Down to floor three, then two, and then before one, he flipped and landed hard on his feet, and rocketed out of the front door leaving the seventeen spectators including Rinoa and Irvine in shock.  
  
***  
  
When Seifer teleported his friends in front of Jessica, she, for the first time, fell to the ground. In shock, of course.  
  
"S-seifer?"  
  
Seifer let go of Fujin and Raijin and massaged his knuckles.  
  
"I don't know what this is, but I like it"  
  
Jessica eyed him carefully, and cautiously walked up to him. In a flash she moved her hand and drew a thin cut along Seifer's arm. The pain he felt was a delayed effect, but when he felt it he jumped back.  
  
"Why'd you do that?"  
  
"Hold on" She was staring carefully at the cut she had made, making Fujin and Raijin look as well, and inevitably Seifer. After a few seconds purple blood lined the wound.  
  
"Whoa! Ya know!" Raijin jumped back at the height of fear, afraid that he was looking at a zombie. Jessica stared longer, and then the wound closed up and the blood disappeared. Without his consent she used her fingers to pry his eyelids open and stared closely at the pupils.  
  
"Your eyes are no longer dilated like a normal human's. As a matter of fact . . . "  
  
She removed the gun from the holster and pointed a small light mounted on it in the eye. The pupil became as small as a cat's eye.  
  
"From what I've seen, Seifer, your anatomy . . . "  
  
She quickly fired the blast next to his head making Fujin and Raijin jump in shock, while he just stood there.  
  
". . . is completely Zatach. I don't understand it, but you don't even have the normal human reflexes anymore, and since you aren't even momentarily deafened, Zatach hearing as well."  
  
"What are you saying? That I'm using a Zatach body?"  
  
"Frankly, yes. And I wouldn't call it a weak one, either."  
  
***  
  
Oren teleported Xu and Quistis to the Seraph Orphanage, or what was left of it.  
  
"I hope you find what you're looking for, Xu, I'll come back in two hours."  
  
Without another word Oren disturbed the peace with his overly loud portal- creating and disappeared from the scene.  
  
Quistis and Xu looked ahead. The building was built much like Edea's orphanage; actually it was built exactly like it minus the direction it faced in relation to the surrounding geographical features.  
  
The two walked over the small sea of boulders that separated them from the building and made their way the much neglected front door that was once white.  
  
"This place seems as if its still an operational facility, even though it looks old and neglected. As if there was ghostly presence."  
  
Xu didn't want to respond to her companion as they walked around what used to be the parlor, but it was because she was afraid to agree. Her fears were brought to life when she heard soft singing coming from the room to the left. Both women froze and slowly turned to the source.  
  
"Am I hearing things . . . ?"  
  
"I hear it too" Quistis assured. Xu was surprised that she had spoken aloud.  
  
"I hope that I'm not actually hearing that. That . . . "  
  
Quistis looked at her partner with a look of questioning.  
  
"It sounds like the person that used to run this place. She would always sing . . . "  
  
"Couldn't she still be here?"  
  
"No! She . . . she died a long time ago. I was there! I'm hearing the voice of a person that couldn't be alive!"  
  
"Did she die of old age?"  
  
"No. She was young. She died of something worse."  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Sorry for the ridiculously long wait, if anyone's still reading. The next three chapters will be mostly investigation on unfolding mysteries, and then later they will use what they learn to trek further. I just got my account working, thankfully. I finished my other fic so I devote my complete attention to this. Eight chapters to go! The next one will chronicle Seymour's story. 


	18. Chapter 17: Rho

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Seventeen: Rho  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Rho may be the only reasonable soul of us all.  
  
Seymour sharpened the end of his nails with his hair and began telling his tale.  
  
"As you probably know, I was born half Human and half Guado. I was supposed to be a symbolization of peace between the two species. I have one thing to say to that now . . . "  
  
After a few seconds, Tidus beckoned him to continue.  
  
"What do you have to say to that?"  
  
"Peace my ass"  
  
***  
  
The five-year-old Guado/Human ran away from school for the twenty-ninth time in the hour and fourteen minutes that he had been in school. The officials meant to keep the children in school were no match for Human speed, even if it was half Human speed. They soon lost sight of Seymour as he burst into his house and then into tears on his mothers lap for the twenty-ninth time in a period of an hour and fourteen minutes.  
  
While a normal woman probably would have grown tired of this boy's constant babble, she continuously comforted her son and told him that everything would be okay, and that he had to get himself back to school.  
  
"Seymour, I know the kids are mean, but I promise you that everything will be okay. You have to get yourself back to school!"  
  
"I'm tired of running! Those kids are mean!"  
  
She kneeled down to look her son in the eye.  
  
"You shouldn't let them get to you if they can sink low enough to ignore what a fine boy you are! You dress well, use good manners, and comb your hair."  
  
". . . Mommy, I don't know if you've noticed, but my hair is sharper than a Behemoth's tooth and harder than one, too! I can't make any friends!"  
  
"Nonsense! They should be able to see what a fine boy you--"  
  
"Mom, don't you know that the stuff a parent considers important in a child aren't the same as the stuff kids look for!? They're the things kids make fun of!"  
  
His mother was surprised to hear such a refined conclusion from a boy so young.  
  
"They make fun of my hair, and nails, and eyes, and height, and the way I talk, the way I walk, my clothes, my weight, my shoes, my gloves, my veins, my skin, and my intelligence. Mommy, I don't wanna go back! Don't make me go! Please!"  
  
***  
  
"The kids made fun of me all the time. At first just for my unique species, and then later I became the butt of every joke! Sometimes they would just make things up just to laugh at me. Things I did perfectly normal they would take and shape so it seemed strange so that they would have more to laugh at me about. You'd think they would become more mature when they became older but I would say it was quite the opposite."  
  
"Didn't the adults ever do anything about it?"  
  
"They would pretend to, but the torment never ceased. They probably shunned me for my species as well. The fools."  
  
***  
  
Seymour felt another tiny ball of paper hit him in the back of the head as it had countless times before. He had made an oath to his mom that he would stay in school AND refrain from harming any aggressors that he could and probably would encounter. He ground his nerves and tried his best to tolerate them, but it was to no avail as yet another tiny ball of paper hit him. He focused on the work before him: Simple math problems.  
  
The life of a small child offered so many challenges and conquests to be fulfilled. To him learning was a wonderful thing full of frontiers of knowledge that had long been neglected by the Guado that paid no attention to its value, and had never been interested in obtaining power through books. Seymour was different, and that was one of the many reasons he was made fun of.  
  
The teacher at Guadosalam had introduced a brand-new concept that would baffle even Seymour, but not to the point that he wouldn't want to learn it to the fullest. Multiplication. Ah, multiplication! The great new frontier of the math area of knowledge! How with only two small numbers you could get one big one. How adding nine and nine would give eighteen, but multiplying would give you eighty-one!  
  
The concept amazed Seymour and within a few days he had learned all his times tables and was moving into bigger multiplication and from that, division. He especially treasured the ideas of fraction multiplication, how four times four was the same as one-fourth multiplied by sixty-four. Even at his age of eight he was setting grounds for moving into advanced arithmetic, algebra, even physics. He would go to the library and read up on equations, literal equations, polynomial division, compound interest, synthetic division of polynomials, the properties of the multiplication of binomials, and trinomials, the sums of squares of binomials, the zero- product property, ratios, the real number system, a y and an x axis, and with it the equations applicable for circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. All of the vastness of math in particular had amazed and fascinated him to no end, and instead of sitting at home watching Luca- imported televisions or baking cookies or playing like normal Guado children, Seymour would sit at home and get his joy from study. No one paid any attention to this, of course, because what was to be expected of the child of Lord Jyscal?  
  
The studying helped hide Seymour from the fact that the kids were slowly but surely pushing him over the edge. The edges being the lines for complete craziness and lust for power.  
  
***  
  
Omicron paced around the room while his unknown accomplice stood in the corner. Pi was in the chair in front of him, looking down at the ground. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back so he was staring her in the face.  
  
"I'll ask you again. You are with Pyros more than any of us. All the time, really. You have been forgetting vital things of our group and of our cause, as well. Pyros asked me nicely to get simple pieces of information from you, and he said I could use pain as a factor. So here's what I'll do. I'm feeling generous. You are to tell me something simple about our ship, and work up to more complicated things. I have one question. What is the name of the ship?"  
  
She gave a look of genuine terror.  
  
"I . . . I honestly don't know. I don't know anything!"  
  
"Wrong answer."  
  
He flung her against the wall and held her there.  
  
"What is my name?"  
  
"I can't remember!"  
  
Omicron drew a cut against her left cheek with the blade he removed from the sheath on his back.  
  
"What is his name?"  
  
He jerked his thumb in the direction of the currently nameless accomplice.  
  
"I . . . think I remember . . . his name is--"  
  
"Quiet! His name is not to be spoken aloud. I hope you truly know his name, for if you're lying . . . "  
  
Of course Omicron could read minds if the mind was fearful and of close range, so he knew that it wasn't a bluff.  
  
He believed that slowly, if he could give this girl enough pain, that she would somehow remember. He never got to test his theory completely.  
  
***  
  
Quistis felt frozen in place as she waited for Xu's explanation, the terror and suspense of it mixed in with the ghostly singing that she was hearing from the kitchen.  
  
"She died of a broken heart. The government from Esthar killed her husband in front of her eyes. She told me that they feared sorceress influence, but she also told me that she didn't think that was the real reason. She said that the real reason was probably out of hatred for her, for what she was. And after that day, she'd sing a song to herself every day in the kitchen."  
  
"The song we hear now?"  
  
Xu slowly shook her head.  
  
"No, she only sung this song when she didn't think anyone was around, but that was only before her husband was killed." Quistis moved towards the kitchen but was surprised to find that Xu wasn't following her.  
  
"Don't you want to see what is there?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I think that I should just check around." Xu responded as she hurried to another room, accidentally making it clear that she was too scared to go any further.  
  
Quistis sighed and stepped over the rubble to the doorless doorway that led to what was left of the kitchen. Afraid at what awaited her, she looked carefully around the corner and was surprised to find who seemed to be a girl not much younger than her staring outside through a broken and dirty window, singing to herself. She had unusually bright orange hair that didn't seem to be a proper tone for anyone to have. Not any human, at least.  
  
She felt her heartbeat slow down and put her hand there while closing her eyes to calm herself down.  
  
"How relieving . . . " she said to herself, not realizing that she had said it aloud until she felt a pair of eyes upon her.  
  
"Hello"  
  
It was the girl at the window. Quistis didn't know how to react, and then she remembered that the person their might be helpful to Xu.  
  
"Hello. Do you live here?"  
  
She shook her head slowly.  
  
"DID you live here?"  
  
She shook her head with less hesitation this time.  
  
"Do you know where this place is?"  
  
Quistis' hopes were depressed when the person shook her head for the third time.  
  
"Why are you here?" Quistis realized that wasn't an appropriate question, because she didn't exactly belong either.  
  
"I don't know. I woke up here. Do you live here?"  
  
It was Quistis' turn for a negative response.  
  
"Do you remember where you came from? Maybe I could help you?"  
  
"I remember my name. But not where I'm from."  
  
"And you have nowhere to go?"  
  
The girl slowly shook her head.  
  
"Come with me. There's plenty of room where I'm from, if you're interested. My name is Quistis Trepe. Follow me."  
  
Without requesting a name Quistis led the girl over the rubble she had just passed and to the room where Xu seemed to be searching.  
  
"Xu, I found someone"  
  
Xu looked up from the old severed bookcase and her eyes fell on the person Quistis brought. She stared at her, transfixed.  
  
"She looks like Lamia" Xu said blankly.  
  
"Lamia?"  
  
"One of the sorceress that took care of me."  
  
"Xu? She doesn't look any older than us." Quistis said, forgetting that the person they were talking about was right next to her.  
  
"Well, like a younger version . . . but the similarity is unmistakable. Believe me."  
  
"Your name?" Quistis asked the girl.  
  
Her voice was muted by the sound of Oren reappearing from his blue gate.  
  
"Xu, Quistis, are you--"  
  
The voice was again muted by the electrical sound that came from Oren moving to maximum alert and pulling out a sword from his side.  
  
"Xu! Quistis! Step away!"  
  
The girl seemed indifferent as Oren slowly and cautiously moved towards her.  
  
"Oren? Are you okay?" Xu asked.  
  
"Do you all realize who that is? She's dangerous!"  
  
The girl stared and her eyes flared dangerously, for a split second her mouth curving into a wicked smile before returning to her neutral expression.  
  
"I . . . remember . . . you're Oren! Oren Murasaki!"  
  
"Is that all?" Oren asked her as if testing.  
  
"And . . . I remember you killing someone close to me . . . "  
  
***  
  
Omicron slowly realized that his implements of torture weren't working. Pi wasn't budging even a bit. She couldn't seem to remember anything. Omicron's accomplice walked next to him.  
  
"Should I try?"  
  
"Go ahead. But don't expect anything . . . " he grumbled.  
  
At the time Omicron had put Pi under a Nightmare syndrome, filling her head with constant images of terror and inducing physical pain at the same time. She was still tied to the chair except now sweating profusely and shaking.  
  
Omicron's accomplice kneeled in front of her so his face met her own and slowly removed the Nightmare syndrome spell.  
  
"What are you doing?" Omicron asked.  
  
"Trust me." He responded, staring firmly at Pi.  
  
"Think happy thoughts, Pi. Forget about everything. Just focus on what you love most, and if you happen to remember something, just calmly speak it."  
  
Pi's will had been shattered and she blankly complied without even stopping to consider the strangeness of the request.  
  
After two minutes when nothing happened, Omicron became impatient.  
  
"I thought you'd try something today."  
  
"Give her a little more time."  
  
As if on cue, she began to almost sing the information.  
  
"My name is Mirai Kiloyama, codnamed Pi."  
  
Omicron jumped, surprised to hear her utter her real name for the first time he had known of in years.  
  
"Our designated ship is the Krysta, S-type. Serial number 055833592319SBJX. Our current mission objective: Operation Stardust, is currently classified and further procedures of explanation can ultimately lead to enemy recon. Continue?"  
  
Omicron smiled, Pi having regained every last attribute of a computer, particularly the one stored in her brain.  
  
"Yes, go on"  
  
"Operation Stardust includes one primary objective and two secondary objectives. Primary Objective: A thorough sweep and possession of four planets in the general Milky-Stardust area. Secondary Objective One: Eliminate Zatach Oren Murasaki and possible accomplice Jessica Takahashi. Secondary Objective Two: Elimination of various targets from the four target planets for subtle reasons."  
  
"Can you give me the reasons?" Omicron was so greedy for information that he didn't notice Reno in the back, tape recording the hole thing from behind the corner.  
  
Reno realized he would find what they had against him and every other fighter personally.  
  
***  
  
Squall sat down on a rock, staring down at the stream in front of him. He took a pebble and skipped it across. He had been alone for hours now after his disappearance, trying to think of a way to deal with his problem. And he certainly couldn't do that in the confines of Esthar Garden with everyone yelling his name every thirteen seconds.  
  
"Hey there"  
  
He heard a strange voice that sounded familiar behind him. He turned and saw something that made his heart jump. A ghostly image of himself.  
  
"What the holy hell?"  
  
"You know me? I'm not really here. I'm just your subconscious. And hey, I've had enough of your attitude. I'm here to reinforce some stuff that you should already know, so listen good."  
  
Squall had half a mind to run off screaming like a madman, but what good would that do?  
  
"Alright boy, here's the stuff. You were supposed to have gotten over your coldness a LONG time ago. But I see you still let it surface? Listen, you have to change. And do it fast before you lose too many people. You have a heart in there somewhere and you know it. You can be good to your former rival who was once the most dangerous man alive, but not your father who just wants another chance to know you? You have a hot girl and ignore her most of the time?"  
  
Squall was about to tell the image to watch his mouth, but remembered it was actually himself and kept quiet.  
  
"No one will kill you if you LIGHTEN UP! You'd better not forget this! Now show you aren't cold and prove it to the one you love!"  
  
The image disappeared.  
  
"Squall?" Rinoa had come behind him.  
  
"We were worried. Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, whate-"  
  
He remembered what his subconscious had said.  
  
"Uh, I love you"  
  
He had been so desperate to find a words that melted his cold exterior that he ended up saying the three most important and meaningful words in the history of mankind. Minus the 'Uh' of course. What surprised Squall even more is that he meant them.  
  
"Squall? Are you . . . alright?"  
  
Squall stood by still with his eyes closed, searching for every instinct that he had stored away, but had never used. It took him a few seconds to shed his cold exterior a bit and try and get rid of the nagging embarrassment that always cramped his style when he got emotional.  
  
Rinoa looked taken aback. Squall figured that actions spoke louder than words. He stood up, focused on smiting every instinct inside of him that told him he was stupid, and effortlessly brought Rinoa into the second kiss they had ever shared.  
  
Rinoa was so surprised she almost didn't close her eyes at first. In their heads they counted off the time simultaneously and the old record of three point two seconds was broken. Broken and passed by an additional thirteen.  
  
***  
  
A fayth. His mother was becoming at the fayth of Baaj. Why?  
  
"Mommy! You're all I have!"  
  
The twelve-year-old Seymour had never grown distant from his mother.  
  
She still comforted him. Now it was for the last time.  
  
"We are in desperate need of aeons. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I am the only person in the Baaj area that has the spiritual qualifications for a fayth. I will still be with you . . . "  
  
The time of Sin's rebirth was coming near, and there was a shortage on aeons after the time of a few had expired. Sin could not be defeated if a certain amount of aeons had not been prepared for a summoner to receive the "final aeon".  
  
When she left and gave him a last hug and kiss, he had been tearful. He had known about this for weeks and tried to forget it, but it was in vain. The pain in his heart from the lost of his mother further cultivated the developing darkness in his soul.  
  
Seymour never understood what his mother meant. Until that day later on after she took the plunge into the spectrumization liquid. The liquid that would turn a person into a fayth that had been waiting for his mother. He was on his bed, not even able to study, when his father came in.  
  
Of course Seymour had been attached to his mother, but over the years he saw the man his father was and grew equally fond of him.  
  
"Son?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Seymour, I brought this for you"  
  
". . . "  
  
"It's from your mother."  
  
Seymour raised his head and slowly extended his hand for a present he would soon find that he didn't need to receive in such a manner.  
  
It was sudden, his young body sprawled back against his bed and he felt a presence within him.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"You are a summoner, now"  
  
"What! I never learned!"  
  
Jyscal picked up one of Seymour's books and turned to the chapter on summoning.  
  
"It seems you have already studied the required knowledge, my son. Use this power wisely. It is a great honor to hold an aeon."  
  
Seymour continued his studies, but now he trained his body and his ever- twisting mind. A mind that was pushed to its limits one day on his way home from school.  
  
As usual the Guado children would pursue him and jeer him about many things. Seymour had learned to ignore them. Until one child said something that made him forget about forms of self-control in an instant.  
  
"Ya miss your mommy, half-breed?"  
  
The Guado almost tripped over each other when Seymour stopped dead in his tracks on the dirt road that led back to the Guadosalam. He focused on every thread of concentration on summoning what was in him. He wasn't expecting the force of the creature to rise up from the ground that had turned blood red. It had to be over thirty feet tall, jagged teeth as long as he was, and chains holding its arms down.  
  
It roared a roar that made leaves fly from trees.  
  
Seymour stood beside it, panting.  
  
"Anima . . . "  
  
The Guado stared for a second, and then proved every scientist that had ever said 'Guado are shown to be fairly slow' wrong.  
  
At first he couldn't retract it, but slowly Seymour managed to regain control of himself and tuck the entity back into where it came from. That was the day that he became spoiled with power.  
  
***  
  
"My life story, like I said, isn't a pretty one. So now you know. Just don't tell anyone as long as I'm still alive or I'll do something that we both might not like."  
  
Seymour said without taking his eyes from Kuja or Zidane.  
  
Tidus had nothing to say. The life of Seymour hadn't been the happy little fairy tale that he had always imagined. It had been the opposite, as a matter of fact.  
  
He finally choked out a miserable 'oh', but that was all.  
  
Kuja finally finished talking to Zidane and then the two stood up and motioned to the others that they were ready for combat.  
  
***  
  
After Seifer had snuck his friends in and into two vacant Esthar Garden rooms to lay low until he could talk to Squall about it, he met Jessica on the garden roof, where they could have a little more space. Seifer would test the limits of his newly found abilities, and Jessica would try and contemplate how while pacing around and occasionally firing her gun into the air for Seifer to chase (Speed tests, of course).  
  
Finally, after twenty minuets of testing Jessica gave up and told Seifer he could stop.  
  
"You guys have it good. I never realized how limitless those bodies were!"  
  
"You may consider them limitless, but the sense of fatigue doesn't show up as much as it would in a human. You could find yourself over fatigued if you push yourself too hard." She pointed out.  
  
As they were walking down the stairs from the roof Seifer heard a slight mumble from Jessica.  
  
"No way it could be from another Zatach . . . "  
  
***  
  
"You killed someone . . . I can't remember"  
  
Oren was so intrigued he almost fell over.  
  
"You remember that I supposedly did a bad deed but you can remember which it was? Just my luck."  
  
"I remember your name, my name, but not who you killed."  
  
"Oren, do you know this girl?" Xu asked him.  
  
"My name is Mirai Kiloyama" she interrupted.  
  
"No. Not anymore. I do know this girl. She is now codenamed Pi. And she is just as horrible as all the others."  
  
"My codename . . .? Yes! Now I remember! It was Omega you kil--"  
  
In a lightning fast movement Pi fell to the ground and Oren put her over his shoulder.  
  
"You ladies continue. I have to take her back to garden."  
  
Oren then disappeared the same way he had come, leaving Xu and Quistis looking blankly at each other. As if nothing had happened, Xu went back to rummaging around leaving Quistis more anxious than before to get back to garden.  
  
***  
  
Before Pi could begin reciting the reasons for targets on the planets involved in Operation Stardust, Omicron's accomplice put up a hand to silence her.  
  
He removed a sword and slashed it down, destroying part of the wall and revealing Reno with the tape recorder.  
  
For a few short seconds the man didn't even realize that he was discovered, and then he trembled slightly and did the wisest thing: ran.  
  
Reno had never believed that fear tapped adrenaline, but when he zoomed up those spiral stairs and out of the Shinra mansion he decided he was wrong.  
  
Omicron looked at Pi and untied her.  
  
"Instead of talking any longer, chase him down and kill him, will you?"  
  
She blankly nodded and left Omicron and his accomplice in a room where anything not firmly attached flew backwards. The force from the wind almost knocked Omicron himself off his feet.  
  
Reno thought he was getting away until he found himself on his back when what seemed to be a blaze flew around him and then stopped in front of him on the road. He shakily stood up and scanned the situation. He could try to fake his way around the fountain, but that wasn't useful for someone who could fly. He considered making a break for a house and hiding, but a person with such speed could effortlessly catch him . . . Reno decided his only option was to surrender. But not before using a bit of the 'slickness' he had learned as a Turk. He dropped the recorder so that it went down behind his leg and then kicked it silently into a crack in the fountain, an emergency hiding spot in case he didn't come back.  
  
"I surrender!" Reno said, putting his hands up in a way to conceal the gun in his sleeve.  
  
"I was told to kill you." Was the response he got from the female.  
  
***  
  
"Do you feel something?" Jessica asked Seifer. The two were sitting on a bench in the hallway.  
  
"Not really."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Like maybe something moving faster than its supposed to?"  
  
"Exactly!"  
  
"Huh. I just thought it was a feeling. Whatever it is can't be too far. One, two miles maybe?"  
  
"The other side of the universe."  
  
"Oh. That's probably a little longer off, but I was close."  
  
"No one moves that fast unless in serious combat." She said, standing up.  
  
"And if a fights going on then we might be needed."  
  
"Hold on! Shouldn't we get more people first?" Seifer asked, trying to stop her.  
  
"I'm only strong enough to bring two people with me that great a distance. You and I are our best bets."  
  
Without another second of hesitation she grabbed Seifer's arm and sent him along with her to the source of the spark of quick-moving mass.  
  
***  
  
Squall and Rinoa stood holding each other for a while. Rinoa smiled and looked up at him.  
  
"Squall?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I don't know what happened to you, but . . . "  
  
"But what?"  
  
"But I like it"  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Sorry for the hideously long wait. Anyway, I'm going to temporarily calm down the action for a few chapters. The next one will focus on Squall/Rinoa. 


	19. Chapter 18: Sigma

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Eighteen: Sigma  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Likely to be our greatest line of defense, the questionably loyal Sigma.  
  
Rinoa and Squall followed Irvine back to garden, but they stayed at a distance for a bit more privacy. They were both pleased when he ran ahead to the hall and up the elevator, leaving them in the central area.  
  
Irvine had found them at the stream in his search for Squall and had been surprised to find him actually kissing his girlfriend for a change.  
  
A look of utter shock came on Squall's face as he held Rinoa, however, when he heard the sound of Nida struggling, and someone snatching a speaker over the intercommunication system that soon came on over the intercom. In Irvine's voice, he heard these words ring through garden:  
  
"Attention boys, girls, ladies and gentlemen. I have found our commander, Squall Leonhart, making out in the forest with Rinoa Heartily approximately seventeen minutes ago. Did you catch that? I repeat, Squall Leonhart was making out with Rinoa Heartily!"  
  
Rinoa and Squall's faces turned from bright red to pale white. At first they expected to hear the sound of students erupting in laughter, but after a while they were oriented to the sound of cheering, whoops, cries, whistling, and all other sounds of approval and joy.  
  
Squall breathed out a sigh of relief and looked back at Rinoa.  
  
"I'm glad you've changed. Even if it is a little. But what happened to you? Why did you suddenly decide to open your heart to me the rest of the way?"  
  
Squall looked up as if in thought.  
  
"I just got a little push from my subconscious."  
  
"?"  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
Squall was the one that was worrying. His mind went back to Laguna. He was going talk him, and talk to him properly this time. But not before he spent just a little more time with Rinoa.  
  
***  
  
Seymour summoned the last bits of strength inside him and his body was once again encased in metal. He slowly rose above the ground and faced his opponents, forgetting about Tidus who had just finished stretching and now held the gun forward.  
  
The two were at a disadvantage. They hated each other's guts and wouldn't work together, while Zidane and Kuja had their whole strategy mapped out.  
  
Kuja front-flipped upwards going trance in the process, and before hitting the ground activating his flying ability. Zidane followed him, going trance as well and holding his newly charged Ultima Weapon above his head. Seymour and Tidus ignored each other and launched in without worrying about each other.  
  
Seymour saw Kuja do a blast and double around the fighting area. Before he could yell a word of warning to Tidus he was knocked from behind by none other than the doubled-back Kuja, pushing Seymour into Tidus for another burst of pain, met with yet another when the previous blast impacted the both of them.  
  
"Watch where you're goin'! You're going to get me killed!"  
  
"I almost got myself killed trying to warn yo-"  
  
Their bickering was interrupted when the two scrambled to safety as the trails of a Grand Lethal flamed past them.  
  
"You guys give up yet?" asked Zidane semi-sarcastically.  
  
"Never" Seymour responded.  
  
He powered up for Total Annihilation.  
  
"Seymour! Don't do that so damn close to me, you'll kill me!"  
  
He didn't seem to care as Kuja and Zidane easily used each other's power as ladders into the sky, dodging the explosions.  
  
Tidus, who was burnt to a crisp, flew into the air and landed one of the arcs of the metallic Seymour, causing them both to go down.  
  
"Stay out of my way!" Seymour started.  
  
"I would if you'd let me, you crazy bastard!"  
  
Kuja held Zidane in the air by the tail, and the two laughed and slapped hands.  
  
"We have to be like them" Seymour said slowly, standing up.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tidus asked, trying to brush off the ashes.  
  
"I will rocket you up with Total Annihilation, and you do one of those fancy moves."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Oh, you know. That annoying one where you'd jump high and launch that pixie stuff . . . ?"  
  
"Energy Rain?"  
  
"Yes. Jump precisely when I tell you to."  
  
"Since when do I take orders from you?"  
  
"How silly of me. I should have known you'd much rather be burnt to a crisp. What a fool of me!" Seymour laughed maniacally as he charged up for Total Annihilation once more.  
  
Tidus clutched his sword as he felt the air around him get hot.  
  
"Jump!" Seymour yelled.  
  
Tidus jumped with all his might, a pillar of flame touching his shoes and exploding, sending him upwards, twenty, thirty, and soon ten extra feet above the staring Kuja and Zidane.  
  
Tidus hung in the air for seconds while charging up, sword held high, and then launched the energy he had gathered down. Kuja and Zidane were knocked down by it at high speeds, where Seymour's Total Annihilation gained power and knocked them back up, only to be slammed back down again by yet another Energy Rain from Tidus. The two finally landed in a charred heap in front of Seymour.  
  
Tidus landed with a little more grace next to his "ally".  
  
"Not bad for a guy that's only half human."  
  
"Not bad for a human with only half a brain."  
  
***  
  
Reeve tuned his guitar, turned his speakers up to max, and checked the outside hallway of his room just to make sure no one was there. He looked around, and it was vacant. He closed the door to his room, and then started playing along with the rock song, "Comona". Halfway in he began to get a bit wild, dancing around and sliding back and forth with his guitar held tightly. With an imaginary crowd, he turned to the door and yelled.  
  
"Hello, Junon!" He then imitated the sounds of a cheering crowd. He put in his "Motorhead" CD and started playing his guitar along with the "Ace of Spades".  
  
Eventually he started sweating and he turned off the music and set the guitar down.  
  
"I'm pretty tired. Maybe the cafeteria . . . " He said to himself.  
  
When he opened his door Yuffie fell right in from having been listening intently by pressing her ear against the door and leaning on it. He looked down at her in surprise.  
  
"How long have you been there!?"  
  
"Uh . . . " her cheeks flashed bright red as she slowly stood up.  
  
"You like the guitar?" She asked, quickly trying to change the subject. "You played really well. I didn't think you were into that."  
  
"Well in my teenage days I would play a bit."  
  
"It's the greatest music I've ever heard!"  
  
"Really? Glad you think so. When I wasn't working the Cait Sith I would sometimes just sit around and play this. I had bought it for the kid I was expecting. My wife was pregnant when she left me an-- hey wait a minute. Why am I telling you this? And why are you in the men's area anyway?"  
  
"Uh . . . I just heard all the noise and when I figured out it was from your room I couldn't resist. I wanted to find out a little more."  
  
Reeve looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"Then why didn't you just ask me?"  
  
"Well . . . "  
  
"Never mind. I know how much you must like stealth and sneaking and whatnot, you're supposed to be a ninja, right?"  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
Reeve stared at her wide-eyed.  
  
"Oh yeah, sorry. It's just that I keep thinking of Cait Sith as a person. I'm always forgetting that you were operating him and all that."  
  
"I guess it's pretty easy. I almost forget it too, watching someone else do things I never imagined, running around breaking the law, saving the world and all that jazz."  
  
Footsteps could be heard down the hallway.  
  
"Yuffie! Hide!" Reeve said in rushed urgency.  
  
Already ahead of the request, she dove into his room and looked for a small unnoticeable place.  
  
The footsteps came at a rate twice as fast as usual, almost as if the person wasn't walking on two legs. Reeve immediately knew whom it was when he heard the screams of people that had yet to see Red. He opened the door wider when he saw him running down the hall and into Reeve's room. Reeve closed the door.  
  
"You want something, Red?"  
  
Red was staring at Yuffie who was still looking for a place to hide.  
  
"Well, if this is a bad time . . . "  
  
"No! It's not like that! I swear!"  
  
"Right. The audio librarians say that they need their guitars back in twenty minutes."  
  
"Oh. Well I'm done with it. I might as well return it now."  
  
"Could I ask you something else?"  
  
"Yeah, Red?"  
  
"Could you, well, open my door? I continuously have trouble turning the knob and--"  
  
"You know, garden staff did offer to install a doggie door."  
  
Red looked insulted.  
  
"I would never sink so low!"  
  
"Just a suggestion! Come on, I'll open the door and then return the guitar."  
  
Red paced around the doorway.  
  
"I don't want to go alone to the cafeteria with all of those strange people . . . you wouldn't mind terribly coming with me?"  
  
The room was filled with the sound of an unearthly groaning that made Red's fur stand on end.  
  
"Uh . . . " Reeve looked embarrassed.  
  
"That was my stomach."  
  
He ran to the back of the room and grabbed the guitar after unplugging it from the various amplifiers.  
  
"I wouldn't mind going. Come on."  
  
Reeve closed the door and the two walked off, completely forgetting about Yuffie.  
  
***  
  
"Rinoa, how about I meet you on the east balcony? I have to talk to . . . my father."  
  
Rinoa almost sprung from her seat.  
  
"I thought you were an orphan! Your father is here!? Who is he, can I meet him!?"  
  
Squall stood up.  
  
"I can't tell you yet. I have to talk to him first, but I'll will later, I promise."  
  
Rinoa, of course, would have found these as grounds to get upset about an hour ago. But she had a newfound trust in Squall.  
  
"Okay. I'll see you on the balcony then?"  
  
He nodded. They kissed, and then parted. Squall took the same route before. He should have felt more comfortable now that he had his head cleared, but instead Squall found himself involuntarily shaking as he walked to Laguna's room down the hall. He wondered if he would still be in there? Would he even be willing to listen to him?  
  
To think, the man that he had been watching so long had been directly related to him. He didn't even see any resemblance. No one would have been able to figure it out, they were so different.  
  
As a matter of fact he could go around screaming that his father resided in garden, and no one would ever figure it out.  
  
He was now just a few feet away from the door. He asked himself again if it was probable that he was even there. Questions rushed through his head for many minutes before he finally decided he had enough to worry about without being bogged down with worries from something like this. He opened the door without even knocking and found Laguna in his same position, reading a book.  
  
" . . . Hi" he said, uncharacteristically as he thought grimly to himself that he hadn't even tried to look for him.  
  
"Squall. I'm glad you're okay." He said, standing up.  
  
"I wanted to take a jet or something but Kiros told me I was overreacting and said no. So I just wandered around blindly searching for you."  
  
"I wanted to talk"  
  
All worry evaporated when he heard that Laguna cared. Was his searching a symbolization of the whole truth about him? Meaning, did Laguna care more than Squall allowed himself to think? Would he go further than he initially believed?  
  
Laguna patted a seat next to him on his bed.  
  
Squall hesitated for a split second before taking the seat.  
  
" . . . Are you angry at me?"  
  
" . . . Not anymore. I was just confused. I'm not angry. But I have things I want to ask . . ."  
  
"Wait, that means you don't hate me?"  
  
Squall was almost offended.  
  
"Hate you? I don't really think I hate anyone. I don't hate you, I just . . . don't completely approve of you. But that's not talking about certain 'biological relations'. I just mean that I think some of the stuff you did was pretty boneheaded."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"My mother . . . who was she? REALLY?"  
  
"Raine . . . You look a lot like her. Maybe its fate's way of punishing me. She was really something. She was great-looking, hard working, and what really kills me about her death is that . . . that she wanted me to stay, but didn't want to get in the way of me leaving. Then I left anyway and in her final moments where was I? Goofing off in Esthar. When I found out she was dead and buried on that hill, I thought I was dead too. I found out about you later and tried to forget. I cared, but I knew you were with good people. I'll tell you, your mother at a time couldn't stand me! She said I was a dreamer and an idealist. She called me lunkheaded, clumsy, goofy, all thumbs, unrealistic, lamebrained, moronic, and a clown."  
  
"Geez . . . how did you ever marry her? How did you get her to like you in the least?"  
  
"Uh, you might not want to hear that story."  
  
"I understand if--"  
  
"No! I was being sarcastic! Its nothing serious, but here it goes . . . "  
  
***  
  
Laguna felt the ring around in his pocket. Now all he had to do was get Raine to come out to the hill. The beautiful hill under the moon, of course . . .  
  
He knew, however, that she wasn't likely to listen to the likes of him. Kiros had helped him plot a bit. Plan A was asking, Plan B was begging, C was sweet-talking, and X was classified. So classified that Kiros said that he wouldn't tell him until plan C failed.  
  
Laguna walked down the stone streets that had long since been cleared of the pesky monsters and the equally pesky Galbadian soldiers. The pub, as usual, had slow business and Raine was behind the counter polishing mugs, finishing the set, and then polishing again.  
  
"Raine?" He asked as he entered the doors that went into the counter area. He heard her sigh.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Do you want to come to that big hill with me tonight? I have something to show you."  
  
She sighed deeper.  
  
"Listen, I can't go on any more of your adventures. I have work to do here. Can't you understand that? Goodbye."  
  
"Uh, please?"  
  
"No"  
  
"I'll cry . . . "  
  
"Goodbye, Loire."  
  
"Pleeeeeaaaaaaase?"  
  
"Go away, Laguna."  
  
"You're pretty."  
  
This time Raine hesitated.  
  
"Nice try Laguna"  
  
She once again finished polishing the whole collection of mugs and started on the dinner plates.  
  
Laguna followed her across the room.  
  
"You're really pretty?"  
  
This time he didn't even earn a response. Laguna stared at the piece of paper on his sleeve partially hidden.  
  
"A look from you dwarfs the ecstasy of a thousand wonderful things?"  
  
She gave more of a sympathetic sigh and turned around.  
  
"I realize that you must think that whatever you want to show me is really important if you would say something so sweet and out of character, but I really am busy. Can't it wait?"  
  
"But, the moon will be big today!"  
  
Raine put a hand to her head, closed her eyes, and shook her head in disapproval.  
  
"You can really be foolish sometimes. The moon is big every day! Do you realize how close it is to this planet?"  
  
"Can you excuse me?" Laguna asked her, inching back to the door. He quickly ran out to Raine's pleasure and found Kiros waiting outside the pub polishing his katals.  
  
Kiros' braids that had been nicely draped around his shoulder were thrown off and around when Laguna shook him.  
  
"Nice to see you too. How'd it go?" he asked his friend.  
  
"Geez! She can be so cold! Plan A, B, and C all failed!"  
  
Kiros looked skeptical.  
  
"What did you say to her for plan C?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well, I told her she was pretty . . . "  
  
"Yeah . . . "  
  
"I told her she was REALLY pretty . . . "  
  
"Yeah . . . "  
  
"And then I said a look from her gave on the ecstasy of a thousand wonderful things."  
  
Kiros looked like he didn't believe him.  
  
"And you, Laguna Loire, are telling me that after quoting that you were rejected by Raine STILL?"  
  
"I don't understand it either! Help me out man!"  
  
Kiros put his hand to his chin and thought for a while what a good course of action would be.  
  
"Okay. We have to go to plan X."  
  
"Plan X . . . ?"  
  
"Laguna, you have to kiss her. Not a peck on the cheek, but a good long one."  
  
Laguna raised an eyebrow.  
  
"She'll slap me."  
  
"She thinks you're cute!"  
  
"?"  
  
"She swore to kill me if I ever mentioned this . . ." Kiros quickly looked left and right.  
  
"But, she says that she thinks you're cute. I asked her if she'd stop you if you kissed her, she said no. Trust me."  
  
"I don't know about this . . . "  
  
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance . . . If you wish to back out . . . "  
  
"Okay! When do I start?"  
  
"Now"  
  
"What?"  
  
Kiros slapped his forehead.  
  
"You want some other guy to steal her? You'd better hurry!"  
  
That got Laguna going. He sped down the road and into the pub, praying Raine was still in there. When he went through the doors he found that Raine was still behind the counter polishing things.  
  
"Raine . . .?"  
  
He went through the doors behind the counter and came behind Raine. Her back was still to him. Then it occurred to him that he had never been in physical contact with Raine for more than half a second.  
  
"I thought I told you--" she started without even looking up from her work. She didn't finish, because she gasped as Laguna gently held her around her midsection, turned her around, and looked into her eyes. It was then that he saw she had been crying. What about, he didn't ask, because he blindly trusted Kiros' plans and began to kiss her.  
  
Her arm twitched before she dropped the mug, shattering it into a million pieces, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him as the kiss deepened and Laguna slowly broke it, looked at her, and asked again.  
  
"W-Will you go with me to--"  
  
"I'll go with you anywhere"  
  
Laguna blinked as if he didn't believe it. Could he have actually won? Good lord, what if he actually had the guts to ask her to marry him?  
  
That was it. Plan X was a success.  
  
***  
  
Squall looked at Laguna after he finished his story.  
  
"So she just transformed after that?"  
  
"No! Sadly. The day after my proposal she was as mean as ever with marriage preparations. She almost killed me. Literally and figuratively, I think."  
  
"Out of strict curiosity . . . never mind. You probably don't remember"  
  
Laguna looked alarmed.  
  
"Go ahead! Ask me anything!"  
  
" . . . Was my mother a good kisser?"  
  
"Was she a good kisser? Squall, Raine was probably the worst kisser in the history of the world! I mean, it felt good and all, but she was too tight- lipped."  
  
"What . . . ?"  
  
"It took a while for her to open her mouth so I could slip her--"  
  
It was Squall's turn to look alarmed when he quickly stood up and put up his hands.  
  
"STOP! Geez, I didn't need to hear all that! Too much information."  
  
"Oh, sorry. I just forgot I wasn't talking to myself anymore . . . "  
  
Laguna stood up as well.  
  
"Thank you for telling me this . . . it might take me a while to get used to, but I feel differently, now"  
  
Laguna hugged his son, and after a split second of hesitation Squall hugged him back.  
  
"I don't need you to love me back, or call me 'father'. Just let me know you."  
  
"I will."  
  
***  
  
Reeve and Red walked into the library, which was frankly one of the most impressive establishments in this massive garden, and in the small audio facility they found that girl with the long ponytail behind the counter apparently working on something important. Red followed closely behind Reeve who carried the guitar up to the counter.  
  
"Excuse me . . . " Reeve began, taking a moment to look at the name tag.  
  
". . . Andrea, I would like to return this guitar?"  
  
"What?" she looked up.  
  
"Oh. Hold on, let me record it in the records back in the storage." She left briskly and after two minutes the two began to get bored.  
  
"Red?"  
  
Red stopped pacing around and looked up.  
  
"How sharp are those claws?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Uh, well, I just wanted to know."  
  
"Sharp enough to tear a three inch gash in a human body with me using eighty-three percent strength."  
  
"Oookay"  
  
Reeve decided that he'd rather look at what Andrea had been doodling on. When he did, he called Red over.  
  
"Look at this."  
  
Red put his front legs on the counter and looked at what Reeve had been pointing too.  
  
"I think she likes that Zell kid."  
  
The paper was covered with doodles of Zell and his name in hearts that were actually drawn beautifully.  
  
"Red, you know what this means?"  
  
"She's quite a magnificent artist . . . "  
  
"She likes Zell! We have to fix 'em up!"  
  
"What are you talking about? We're both grown men."  
  
Reeve looked at Red skeptically.  
  
"Fine, you're grown but still. That would be meddling and immature, don't you think?"  
  
"Look at it like this: I never had a girlfriend, so . . . "  
  
"You have a soft spot for young couples?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Reeve, you're just being ridiculous."  
  
"Come one, when have the two of us really bonded!?"  
  
". . . "  
  
"Not as if you had anything better to do . . . ?"  
  
"Fine. But if I'm caught this is completely and totally your fault."  
  
***  
  
Seifer and Jessica rushed out of space and behind a very nervous Reno. When he turned around, he looked relieved.  
  
"Thank God! Help me out here, I don't wanna die!"  
  
Pi was taking her time, walking slowly to Reno.  
  
Oren appeared in the same manner that he usually did, with the unconscious body of another girl that looked exactly like Pi.  
  
Oren lay down the body, looked at Pi number one, looked at Pi number two, and then said something very out of character.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
Suddenly the conscious Pi's body tensed up dramatically and she clutched her head, stopping dead.  
  
Jessica looked at Oren, then the unconscious body of Pi number two that Oren had brought.  
  
"Oren? What is this? There was only one the last time I checked."  
  
Reno was regaining his Turkish composure.  
  
"As much as I'd like to stick around, I have people to meet."  
  
He walked off, right passed Pi number one who was now on the ground.  
  
"Not a word of thanks . . . " Seifer muttered.  
  
Oren scratched his head.  
  
"Jessica, Seifer, take them both. I have to give the others a little more time. I'll be back at garden for a while."  
  
Jessica nodded.  
  
"Come, Seifer."  
  
Seifer walked over to Pi number one and put her over his shoulder, as Jessica did with Pi number two.  
  
Oren did the honors and opened the portal in space. The two walked through before it made the sucking sound and shut itself closed.  
  
***  
  
Freya and Kimahri no longer hid behind the bushes, but watched the fight from an open position.  
  
"They are impressive fighters. I haven't seen a fight like this since . . . I have never seen a fight like this."  
  
Freya stood frozen in place by Kimahri watching the scene.  
  
The sides had used up most of their energy, Kuja had lost trance state and Seymour had lost his Flux. It had come down to a contest of pure skill.  
  
Of course it was harder than an actual fight would have been, because they had to make it so they would stop the blows from actually hitting if they got through the opponent's guard, so in a way it was halfhearted.  
  
Zidane parried, thrust, flipped back and flew forward with blinding Terran speed as Tidus defended and countered with blows of his own. Of course he could barely hold his own in the fight because the period where he had actually used the sword had only been about two weeks.  
  
Tidus focused all the energy left within him on his blade, and flew out at Zidane.  
  
He smashed him with five horizontal slashes that Zidane barely deflected, and then followed it up with a backwards spin, another, and then a final slash down that Zidane narrowly dodged. Before he fell in exhaustion, Zidane tackled the already weakened Tidus and the two went down on the brink of unconsciousness.  
  
With Kuja and Seymour it had been a mind game of launching spells that would break through the others' barrier. Seymour and Kuja would launch elemental spells and the dominant element would break through. If they were the same, they would clash. Seymour launched a fire while Kuja launched an ice, Kuja launched then launched lightning that was met with quake, and eight times in a row two spells of the same kind clashed. After intense battling the two were completely out of energy for any more casting, and Seymour's body glowed.  
  
Kuja went down to his knees and smiled. He began summoning all the energy left for his Flare Star attack. Seymour powered up for one last Total Annihilation. In a flash that nearly blew a hole through the roof, the two beams encased each other and exploded violently, knocking both exhausted fighters back.  
  
After two minutes of heavy breathing, Seymour stood up followed by Kuja, and eventually Zidane and Tidus.  
  
"N-not bad. I never thought anyone could stand up to one Genome, let alone two. You, Seymour and Tidus, are truly impressive. I would smile had I the muscle left."  
  
"What he said." Zidane added.  
  
"You're not bad yourselves" Tidus summoned just enough muscle to smile.  
  
The teams shook hands and walked their separate ways.  
  
Tidus looked up at Seymour.  
  
"You aren't as bad as you seem, but I still don't like you."  
  
"You are as bad as you seem, and I still do not like you." Seymour said dryly.  
  
The two laughed semi-bitterly and walked out of the center down the hall. Tidus felt he needed to meet Yuna.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: I know, I broke my promise, but next chapter will focus on couples after the other stuff's out of the way. Sorry for the long wait . . . I turn fourteen tomorrow! 


	20. Chapter 19: Tau

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Nineteen: Tau  
  
Blue Dragon  
  
A tarnished heart with no past, Tau himself . . .  
  
Reeve carried a radio with him as he and Red crept around the hall to Zell's room with an anonymous note that they had prepared.  
  
"We stick out like sore thumbs!" Red said in a hissed whisper.  
  
"Why? What's up?"  
  
"Well for one, you're carrying that radio around playing 'Mission Impossible' at max volume waking up everyone we pass by, alerting the disciplinary committee, and earning us weird looks form everyone . . . "  
  
Reeve turned off the radio.  
  
"You know, I really like that song and it added to the mood."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"You can be dry when you want to." Reeve said as the two continued on, keeping his gaze focused on Red who was only looking ahead.  
  
"You can talk too much when you want to, and in turn loose focus on your surroundings . . . "  
  
"What makes you say--" Reeve couldn't finish because he smashed himself into the door of Zell's room.  
  
"Dammit! I think I bit my tongue"  
  
". . . I told you"  
  
"You could have warned me"  
  
"You learn better the hard way"  
  
"We're a team, we have to work together to keep each other safe"  
  
"Like you did back at Gold Saucer with the keystone?"  
  
"Low blow, man, low blow"  
  
"Have you slipped the note?"  
  
"Oh . . . "  
  
Reeve took the note that had been professionally typed and slid it under the crack in the door.  
  
"There we go!"  
  
"Now according to your plan, we have to type the next, correct?"  
  
"Yeah, but I'm no typist. I suck."  
  
"If you say that you do, its certain."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Think of it this way. Strong people think and often know of their strength. Its can be a state of mind sometimes."  
  
"Really? So if I think I can type, I can?"  
  
"True. Same with feeling" Red continued as they walked down the branch in the male dorm area to get to Reeve's room.  
  
"If you think you're happy you can become that way. Same with thinking you're sad, disappointed, embarrassed . . . "  
  
"Insane?"  
  
Red gave him a dirty look.  
  
"I should tear you to pieces just for that."  
  
"What? What did I say?"  
  
"You know well of my predicament in THAT particular state of mind. Don't pretend that you don't know I almost thought I'd go insane!"  
  
"Oh, that . . . " Reeve reflected as they entered his room. Red sat by the desk and Reeve put his radio on the desk next to the keyboard.  
  
"I'm lucky I got one of the rooms with the computers."  
  
"I recommend you take off spell check. I've heard that Zell's grammar, spelling, etc. isn't the greatest. Taking off spelling and grammar checking features might make it easier to make this letter sound like it's from Zell."  
  
"Go on . . . "  
  
"That's it."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I knew that!"  
  
". . . "  
  
***  
  
Yuffie had long since left Reeve's room, offended that they had completely forgotten about her and wanted to find something else to do. In the back of her mind she felt worried about something, but she couldn't remember what it was. She decided she shouldn't be upset if she couldn't remember.  
  
It was then that the realization popped into her mind that she had lost all of her wealth after the materia she had gathered had become obsolete. How could she help anyone or anything if she didn't have the money?  
  
Maybe she could find money from the monsters in the training center?  
  
The thought popped into her head, and she felt uplifted.  
  
"That's what I'll do!" she said aloud as she walked around the center area of the hallway and into the branch that led to the training center.  
  
Unfortunately she couldn't find anything around. The longer she walked through the humid grassy area the more she thought she would be attacked at any second. She slowly withdrew her sherukin and looked left and right for any form of danger. She tensed when she heard a rustle in the forested area in front of her. She looked up, expecting to see the sky, but saw only the high ceiling with the bright red line that displayed warnings every few feet that following the arrows led back to the entrance.  
  
When Kuja walked out of the bushes looking worn out she almost jumped out of her socks.  
  
"Freeze, monster!"  
  
Kuja looked at her.  
  
"I'm no monster" he responded as he began to walk past her.  
  
She moved herself in his way and he looked at her.  
  
"I said I was no monster"  
  
"You have a tail"  
  
"And you have a snake behind you"  
  
"Ahh!"  
  
She jumped to find that nothing was there. She turned back and found that Kuja had taken the opportunity to walk around her.  
  
Yuffie growled and grabbed his tail.  
  
Kuja tensed, turned around, raised his hand, and sent her flying into the trees with a crashing sound.  
  
"If you're not a monster, recite the alphabet!" Yuffie yelled from behind him as she crawled her way out.  
  
Kuja stayed quiet and continued his steady pace following the red arrows that led to the exit.  
  
"Wait up!" she chased after him and latched herself on to his back, not that that stopped him.  
  
"How about gil? Do you like gil?"  
  
It occurred to him that when he went back to Gaia, if he did, he would need gil to support him. He certainly didn't want to steal . . . he had no other way of financial support.  
  
"What do you have in mind?" Kuja asked after turning around and shaking her off his back.  
  
She sprung herself back up.  
  
"With my keen eye for monsters and your devastating power, we can overwhelm tons of these things and pick up all the gil they drop. Think of how much money we can make if we do this non-stop!"  
  
"Why are you interested in cash anyway? Is it for a good cause?"  
  
" . . . It depends on your interpretation of 'a good cause'" She said, mocking Kuja's voice in the last three words.  
  
"You know what? Never mind. As long as I get a fair share I don't care what you use it for. Just let me rest . . . "  
  
"Here"  
  
Yuffie pulled an elixir from her pocket, and Kuja then took it and drank it. He felt renewed, but he was still exhausted.  
  
"I wish these things would take away fatigue as well as injury . . . " he muttered.  
  
"I use 'em all the time!"  
  
Kuja raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You know, curative items and spells speed up healing, but as a result they closed wounds aren't as stable as they normally would be. So if you use them all the time non-stop, then some injury could trigger a lot of the past ones and make them deeper than they would usually be"  
  
" . . ."  
  
"Never mind. How about we start in the desert section? We can probably round off 150 gil by the hour."  
  
"By the HOUR? Geez, this is harder than I thought . . . "  
  
***  
  
Reno counted the fortune of two thousand gil for the seventeenth time.  
  
"Easy as 'Pi'" he looked at Rude and Elena, who weren't laughing.  
  
"What? Don't you get it? Easy as 'Pi'? Get it? Its funny! It's like a homophone and a pun? Don't you get it? Aw, who needs ya!"  
  
Vincent walked out of the mansion and towards the center of the town where Reno and the other Turks were.  
  
"I have what I requested, but I don't feel right paying you. You didn't really do any of the work."  
  
"Right right. But I was still vital to solving you're little problem. Am I the man or what?"  
  
"No!" Elena and Rude said at the same time immediately.  
  
"Hey, it was a rhetorical question."  
  
At that moment, Oren stepped again through his portal, closing it behind him, panting heavily.  
  
"I'm getting too old for this . . . Everyone, come on. We have a problem . . . again. But we also have hostages. In, hurry up, I'm going to collapse" He said, opening the portal once again. It was smaller than usual."  
  
The four people followed by Oren filed their way in as if entering the opening to a small hut and went back to Esthar Garden.  
  
***  
  
While Reeve waited for the document to print on the unfortunately slow printer, he played word games with Red.  
  
"Okay, new one. We have to say words of at least four syllables, and each word has to start with the letter of the alphabet coming after the previous. Ready?"  
  
"Who goes first?" asked Red, lying on his side while watching his tail swing involuntarily left and right.  
  
"I'll start. Remember, bigger words earn bigger points. Alleviate."  
  
"Boulevard"  
  
"Counterproductivity" Reeve said with pride.  
  
"Decolonization"  
  
"Euphoria"  
  
"Festivities"  
  
Red thought for a moment before saying "Gravitation"  
  
"This is getting boring . . . how about we have to perform what we say? Like, helicopter!"  
  
"Could you perform that?"  
  
" . . . Damn"  
  
"Its finished."  
  
"What's finished?"  
  
"The paper"  
  
"The paper?"  
  
"The one you printed."  
  
"Oh yeah, forgot about that." Reeve pulled the paper out of the old-model printer.  
  
"Now the only thing we have to do is get this to Andrea in the library."  
  
"I ask you once again" Red said, standing up. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"  
  
"Young love is easily stimulated, my friend! We just need to give it a little push is all . . . "  
  
"I don't even know why I'm still with you on this. If you ask me, you're simply asking for trouble. Remember, if we're caught this was solely your idea and I knew nothing about it or had nothing to do with it"  
  
"Fine, fine, but with my skills we won't get caught."  
  
"Your skills? Like playing 'Mission Impossible' on the radio as loud as you can?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Like trying to sneak through windows when the door is open?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Like trying to dress up like Solid Snake!?"  
  
"Okay, OKAY! I know I'm a little bad but I'm just saying that I've done this kind of thing before. Where's your sense of adventure?"  
  
"It's still inside my room, that, by the way, I still can't get into"  
  
"Must you be so pessimistic? Come on, we're heading out" Reeve said, folding the letter in an envelope and opening the door for both him and Red, and then closing it. When they were out in the hall Reeve pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his pocket, and set a pair in front of Red.  
  
"Wear this, you'll look cool."  
  
" . . . " Red didn't feel like objections, so he nosed the glasses onto his face.  
  
"Oh man! You look awesome! A four-legged creature with sunglasses, and me. Together, we're so inconspicuous it isn't even funny!"  
  
"Sure, a grown man playing secret agent and an oversized dog with sunglasses, scars, and a tattoo. We blend in, alright."  
  
"Can't you only talk when you have something positive to say?"  
  
"If you want a mime, then you can hire one from Shinra"  
  
"Very funny. Why hire one from Shinra?"  
  
"Because they only produce . . . " Red looked at Reeve. " . . . Clowns"  
  
"Oh hah. Let me clutch my sides and laugh my lungs out, Red"  
  
"You do that. In the meantime, I'll be looking for my dignity"  
  
"Where do you suppose we can find it?"  
  
"In my room that you still won't help me open!"  
  
"Screw the room, already! If you want it open I'll do it for you, but only after the mission."  
  
"Fine. After the mission."  
  
Red and Reeve began their trip to the library. They were down on luck, the halls were crowded and they stood out like sore thumbs. Simply moving earned them weird looks and whispered comments from about everyone they encountered.  
  
"Now what was that about 'blending in'?"  
  
"Quiet, they don't need to know you can talk!" Reeve answered in hushed exclamation.  
  
Red just sighed and followed Reeve through the crowds.  
  
When they reached the library, they saw Andrea look at some papers, and a few minutes later retreat back to the room she had went to earlier.  
  
Reeve went down to the ground, and started crawling, incidentally becoming eye-to-eye with Red.  
  
"Now what are you doing?"  
  
"Stealth, my friend, stealth"  
  
The two of them slunk over to the counter, and Reeve slowly placed the piece of paper on the counter, and then began slinking to the door on. The people that walked in gave them weird looks, and Reeve seemed to ignore them.  
  
Red was beyond embarrassed.  
  
"I don't know him" he said. The glasses that the two of them wore told a different story.  
  
Reeve stood up and went through the door back into the hall with Red.  
  
"Now what?" he asked.  
  
"Now, we wait."  
  
"Wait?"  
  
"What did you expect?"  
  
"Shouldn't we check up on Zell to see if he got the letter?"  
  
"Wait, I'm thinking . . . I've just gotten a great idea!"  
  
"Don't do it!" Red said, thinking he knew what Reeve was planning from having watching similar events on the television on numerous occasions.  
  
"What? I was just thinking we would open your door and wait a while."  
  
"Good. I thought you were going to say my idea as if it were your own--"  
  
"And THEN we check up on Zell to see if he got the letter."  
  
Red let out an exasperated sigh.  
  
***  
  
Oren opened the door to the currently empty cafeteria storage closet that was currently a makeshift holding cell. He slowly set the unconscious body of Pi number one next to Pi number two, who was being monitored by Seifer.  
  
When Seifer noticed Oren had come, he inquired:  
  
"What are you planning on doing with them?"  
  
"They should be out a while longer. I'll ask you to watch over them for a few minutes while I ask Dr. Kadowaki for the blood results." He answered, walking out of the door.  
  
"Can't you do that shifty-portal thing to get there?" Seifer asked, making an imaginary swirl with his index finger.  
  
"I wouldn't want to tire myself for a trivial distance."  
  
"Oh."  
  
When Oren arrived at the infirmary, he remembered that it had been the only place he hadn't gone too. The section was an impressive improvement. What had once been a simple medical area was changed into a radical establishment that looked like a real hospital and even had waiting rooms and multiple 'employees'.  
  
On the second sub-floor there were offices for high-ranking medical officials, and Dr. Kadowaki's was at the very end of the white-tiled hallway. All through the trip he had flown at a good ten feet. The people in the crowds below showed no reaction, being used to seeing the unbelievable.  
  
Oren knocked once before hearing the okay to come in. The Dr. was staring at two dark purple blood samples in the flat plastic squares. The look on her face mirrored disbelief.  
  
Oren walked to her side.  
  
"What did you find?"  
  
"The blood samples you gave me from those two girls . . . they are exactly alike in every way."  
  
"Twins, possibly?"  
  
"No, even twins' DNA is slightly different. These patterns show that the two individuals you got these from must be the same in height, build, eye and hair color (which by the way is unusual), blood type, everything. I have three conclusions."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"First, you got these samples from the same person."  
  
"No, they were two different people."  
  
"Second, one of them is cloned."  
  
"Cloning technology is non-existent where I come from. People see it as immoral."  
  
"Well, the third is that two of them were made by some sort of supernatural or highly advanced power, but it doesn't seem possible and I highly doubt it, unless done by some unknown sorceress."  
  
"Oh . . . well, thank you for the information." Oren said, feeling defeated and beginning to walk out.  
  
"Wait! Are the people who's blood you extracted here?"  
  
"Yes. In a makeshift cell at the cafeteria."  
  
"Could a take a look at them?"  
  
"Yes, follow me."  
  
In a few minutes Oren and Dr. Kadowaki had arrived at the cell, where the bodies of Pi number one and two were in slightly different positions. Seifer was still there, only with Jessica, now.  
  
"Did something happen?" Oren asked.  
  
"They woke up and got kind of unruly, so I had to knock 'em out."  
  
"By yourself?" Oren asked Seifer doubtfully.  
  
"I'll explain later." Jessica told him.  
  
Dr. Kadowaki immediately began examining the bodies.  
  
"These two young ladies seem to be exactly alike. But there is something about one of them . . . "  
  
"Yes? Oren pressed."  
  
"The difference in one DNA sample was so trivial, I didn't care to bring it up. One of them has a gene that I've never before found in human DNA, the other one has it missing. It is very small, and barely connected."  
  
Oren looked alarmed.  
  
"The P5XE!?"  
  
"Is that what it's called?"  
  
"That is the very gene that makes a Zatach different from your own species! Without it, one is no different from a human."  
  
"What would happen if a human had that gene?" Seifer asked Oren.  
  
"Well, I suppose their body would gain the abilities of one, but that hasn't happened so its just a guess."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Is there something you're not telling me?"  
  
"No, nothing at all" Seifer answered nervously."  
  
"Dr, you may want to take a sample of his blood and analyze it."  
  
"What!? I hate needles!" Seifer made a mistake with the statement.  
  
"Hmm."  
  
Dr. Kadowaki paced around Seifer.  
  
"If you're going to be here then I recommend I give you all your shots. You missed at least two while you were 'away'"  
  
"Oh crap."  
  
"Come now."  
  
The Dr. led a worried Seifer down the hall to the infirmary, and Oren left to follow them leaving Jessica alone watching Pi number one and two.  
  
When Dr. Kadowaki and Oren arrived back at the infirmary with Seifer, Oren sat on one of the chairs in the busy lobby while the Dr. dragged Seifer into her office. A few minutes later a scream of pain sliced through the air, and surprised those that hadn't been given prior warning.  
  
Seifer came back looking pitiful and rubbing his arm, holding something hidden in one hand and a report in another.  
  
"Let me see that." Oren said, standing up and taking the report. Seifer paced around uncomfortably while Oren read the report aloud.  
  
"Oren, the gene you were worried about was detected in Seifer's blood, which I found was purple"  
  
Seifer paid no attention as he tried to lick his lollipop where no one would see. Oren peeked slightly over his shoulder.  
  
" . . . You're not eating a sucker are you?"  
  
" . . . That needle really hurt."  
  
"Answer the question."  
  
"So what if I am?"  
  
"You'd better not eat too much sugar, its not good for a Zatach body. And by not good I mean hazardous to everyone you come in contact with."  
  
"Hold on, haven't you figured out what's going on?"  
  
"No. But frankly, who cares? You're much stronger than you were before, and we have a better chance of winning our battles. We might as well go with it." Oren said as he turned around and left for the cafeteria.  
  
***  
  
Reeve and Red found Zell in the cafeteria wolfing hot dogs.  
  
They both waited at the entrance, thinking of a good time to make a move.  
  
"You know, we can't simply waltz in. He doesn't really know us in the least. We should wait till the condition calls for our presence" Red, of course.  
  
"How about now."  
  
"Were you listening to me!? We should--"  
  
"He's choking, lets help him!"  
  
Reeve walked briskly to the table where Zell was choking violently, and not a soul seemed to care. He positioned his hands around the boy and put a fist down under his chest near his diaphragm and jerked slightly upwards. A piece of a hotdog flew out of his mouth and bounced from the ceiling to the chair, and then by a twist of fate came forward and into Red's eye.  
  
Poor Red howled in agony and clutched his eye partially with his paw as he lay on the ground.  
  
"Quit playin' around, Red" Reeve said, ignoring his partner in agony.  
  
Red looked up, bared his teeth, and growled.  
  
"Uh, is he safe . . . ?" Zell asked him cautiously.  
  
"No. He'll bite you the first chance he gets. And if you turn your back on him, you just might find yourself missing a kidney."  
  
"Nice doggy . . . " Zell said nervously.  
  
Red growled louder out of aggravation.  
  
"He doesn't like to be called that. You best call him Nanaki."  
  
"Red is fine." Red stated, automatically losing his "wild animal" state.  
  
"I forgot he could talk"  
  
"Uh, Zell" Reeve turned the conversation and sat on the chair across from Zell.  
  
"Did you get a letter by any chance?"  
  
"Yeah, how did you know?"  
  
"A faerie told me. But, what did it say?"  
  
Zell looked happy.  
  
"I'll tell you all about it, but first . . . "  
  
"Yes . . . ?"  
  
"I forgot to thank you! You saved me!"  
  
"Oh yeah, that. Think nothing of it. I just happened to be in the area."  
  
"What was your name?"  
  
"My name's Reeve. And of course you've been acquainted with Red . . . " Reeve found that Red was nowhere, but then saw him trying to order something from one of the surprised cafeteria ladies.  
  
"Anyway, about the letter?"  
  
"Yeah. You know that girl in the library, Andrea?"  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"That letter was from her, it said she had the hots for me!"  
  
"No kidding?" Reeve said, all too knowingly.  
  
"Yeah! The only problem is, I want to meet her somewhere special because, I kinda like her too. You see, she talked to me a while ago but I wasn't really interested 'cause I had a lot on my mind. But now . . . "  
  
"Hmm. I see. Doesn't this garden have some events?"  
  
"Well, Selphie was planning a dance tonight at about seven." Zell looked down at his watch.  
  
"Which is in two hours. But I'm the only one helping and it will be cancelled if she can't get enough people."  
  
"I see. Well, my friend, me and my partner will take care of that, you just sit tight!" Reeve stood up and walked over to Red who was finishing the last of a bowl of soda.  
  
"Buddy, we have a new mission."  
  
"What about my door?"  
  
"Later, later. You have to talk to Andrea to make sure she believes the whole note thing. In the meantime, I'll gather up people to organize help for this dance that's supposed to be today and meet you in the library."  
  
Red sighed and shook his head.  
  
"What are you? Thirty five? Forty?"  
  
"I'm twenty-three!" Reeve said, looking offended.  
  
"Whatever. Aren't you a little old for this? Fixing up people? This is bound for heartbreak!"  
  
"Hey, Zell said he liked her back."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Don't doubt. Let's get to it. Your new assignment is the library!"  
  
Reeve ran off to the unknown to gather volunteers.  
  
***  
  
Cloud pressed buttons fervently at the small arcade he had discovered in the waiting room. He sighed as his ship was blown up for the umpteenth time and hurriedly stuffed another coin in.  
  
"You know, faults in life, particularly video games, can be divided into three categories. That of treachery, stupidity, and mindless puppets."  
  
Cloud groaned when he heard Sephiroth behind him.  
  
"Don't you have something to be doing?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Maybe figuring out some planet to kill?"  
  
"Today? Never! That's next week . . . "  
  
Cloud groaned again when his ship was blown from the sky.  
  
"What happened this time?"  
  
"A Martian blew me up because I wasn't looking."  
  
"Killed by a mindless puppet."  
  
"Shut up . . . " Cloud muttered. He saw extra point boxes at the high corner of the screen and pushed the joystick to obtain it, but launched himself right into a line of fire, destroying his ship.  
  
"Killed by your own treachery."  
  
"Shut up!" he said louder. Cloud wasn't paying attention and ended destroying his ship by ramming it into a wall.  
  
"Killed by your own stupidity. See? Three categories."  
  
"Oh yeah? Suppose Tifa bumped into me by mistake and made me lose?"  
  
"Killed by a mindless puppet."  
  
" . . . What if you bumped into me."  
  
"That wouldn't happen."  
  
"What if it did?" Cloud said, stuffing in another coin and pressing buttons.  
  
"You were a big enough idiot to have me bump into you. Killed by your own stupidity."  
  
"How about a guy gets killed trying to save his wife?"  
  
"Killed by his own stupidity. The only person to look out for is yourself."  
  
" . . . " Cloud died again when trying to collect points.  
  
"Killed by--"  
  
"Dammit, shut up! This level's length is infinite, and increases each time someone loses!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"What do you mean, so?"  
  
"Who cares about extra if the level is infinite?"  
  
"?"  
  
"Something finite plus the same thing infinite is still infinity. Adding finite numbers to infinity doesn't make it any longer."  
  
"You're either really intelligent or really bored." Cloud muttered.  
  
"Both." He said as Cloud died when the largest ship appeared and destroyed him."  
  
"Killed by a mindless puppet. You see? You stink at life."  
  
"If you're so good, why don't you try?"  
  
Cloud put in a quarter and let Sephiroth try his hand at the machine. He smiled a few minutes later when Sephiroth flew forward to get treasure, and then tried to slow down to evade the fire. The boss and a minor enemy destroyed him at the same time.  
  
"Hah!"  
  
" . . . Just like real life. I was killed first by my own stupidity. I went for that coin when I knew it was too far out of reach, mirroring my action of letting you and your friends live . . . My treachery killed me. I could have become a god long ago before you arrived. What did I do? I waited so I could absorb even more power, just like I felt dissatisfied with my score." Sephiroth continued while entering in his initials: G.O.D.  
  
"And finally, I was killed by a mindless puppet, that drone ship. Much like I was killed by . . . " he turned around and faced Cloud.  
  
"I'll be going now. I have someone to meet." He said, walking past Cloud and out of the room.  
  
***  
  
Reeve had been talking to Selphie, but at a point ended up spilling details about his old job.  
  
"The Shinra executives treated us like scum. Our complaints to them were like rhetorical questions: Never meant to be answered."  
  
"That's so sad . . . "  
  
"So you can imagine we never had any fun. You wouldn't happen to organize any parties here, would you . . . ?" Reeve asked, knowing full well that she did.  
  
"Well actually, yes!" Selphie said, taking a clipboard from the stage.  
  
"Would you like to help me organize it! We have a few hours and we might be able to do it if--"  
  
"I'd love to."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I want to help you organize your festival and find as many people as I can."  
  
"You . . . do?" Selphie looked at him with a weird look on her face.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"You're the first person to agree to that in almost a year . . . " She said, staring into Reeve's eyes.  
  
"Uh . . . are you okay?"  
  
"Can you hold my hand?"  
  
This is when Reeve started to get scared.  
  
"Uh, well, I have to get people to help first! Do you have any suggestions?"  
  
"Ask Quisty. She's in room 192 . . . " Selphie said dreamily and softly to him.  
  
"Alright . . . are you okay?"  
  
"Will you hold my hand?"  
  
" . . . I'll be back, and then I'll hold your hand."  
  
"Hurry back . . . " she said as she steadied herself on the corner of the stage. Reeve rushed out and sped his way down the hall to gather volunteers.  
  
***  
  
Oren, who was with Jessica and Seifer in the makeshift holding cell, paced around in front of Pi number one and two.  
  
"I'll ask again. Do you two know why you are separate?"  
  
"I do." Pi number one said with no emotion. The two were constantly being held in a sitting position in place by Jessica who was focusing her mind onto a small telepathic freezing.  
  
Oren sighed, knowing what was coming next.  
  
"How?"  
  
"We cannot tell you under the code of--"  
  
"I know! I know already! But I'm certainly not going to use any methods of torture . . . "  
  
He noticed Pi number one stiffen, and decided he had hit a nerve.  
  
"How about this. Tell us how to get to Pyros' ship."  
  
"We cannot tell you under the co--"  
  
"Never mind. What if I promise to bring Omicron to you?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
Pi number two spoke up.  
  
"We want to hurt him for what he did to us."  
  
"Is that so? Tell me where Pyros' ship is . . . "  
  
"Pyros' ship is currently located in the Stardust galaxy sector F358 at the far end, vector 176" Pi number one basically sang.  
  
"How can I trust your information is accurate?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Jessica, please release holds."  
  
"Are you crazy?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
She sighed and lowered her concentration, but the two Pi's just sat there.  
  
"They have no wish to move . . . you two can do what you want now, they'll stay here. You two, find a dorm or something, there are still hundreds left."  
  
Without another word, Oren left with Jessica staring as if he had lost his mind.  
  
"I guess we can trust Oren" Seifer said, walking out.  
  
"You're just going to let them roam free?"  
  
"Oren said they were harmless, and has he steered us wrong yet?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
Seifer caught up with Oren.  
  
"You wanted something?" he asked as he walked out of the cafeteria and into the elevator, Seifer following.  
  
"No. Just heading your way."  
  
"Well, I had something I needed to tell you. I'm planning on announcing something . . . I'm going to be in the 'shadows' so to speak. I was thinking of leaving you as one of the people in charge."  
  
"In charge? When did you get the power to do that?"  
  
"I'm sure I'm trusted, by now. But, I won't be able to do much more for this place than contribute to the battle and give advice and information. Most of the people here are much more qualified to take charge. Furthermore, I've been lazy and should be trying to make myself tougher, not running around the galaxy . . . "  
  
"Right . . . " Seifer said, somewhat distracted when the elevator opened and Reeve almost flew in.  
  
"Ahh! Oren, just the person I was looking for! The Garden Festival committee is organizing an event in the Quad today in an hour and a half, and we need a LOT of people to get it ready." He said, dragging Oren out of the elevator and leaving Seifer in alone.  
  
" . . . And this pertains to me . . . how?"  
  
"Will you help?"  
  
"Where's the Quad?"  
  
"I can take you there."  
  
"I'm sure, but where is it?"  
  
"Its on this floor and to the left--"  
  
The translucent floor was almost set ablaze as Oren grabbed Reeve and sped across it almost ten times as fast as any human. In a matter of seconds, he had brought Reeve into the very middle of the empty Quad, where Selphie was pacing around the stage looking at the clipboard.  
  
Reeve wobbled on his feet and steadied himself by sitting down.  
  
"What a ride . . . "  
  
"Selphie, what do you need done?!" Oren called to her from the other side of the area.  
  
Without looking up, she began dictating.  
  
"We need a disco ball in the middle of the ceiling . . . "  
  
Oren used an invisible force to fling the disco ball that was in one of the boxes near Selphie into the air and onto the ceiling.  
  
"Multicolored balloons around the perimeter of the quad . . . "  
  
Oren used the same force to empty a box of hundreds of balloons on the stage, and held them there. He then blew out a seemingly small bit of air that somehow filled each and every balloon, after which he levitated several staplers that released hundreds of staples to hold the balloons up by pinning down the ends.  
  
"A stand on the far side with food, drinks, and a record player . . . "  
  
Oren had already started. Three long tables were taken by levitation from the stage and set at the far wall, and eight large boxes were emptied along with scoops, bowls, and those thingies with the cup at the end for getting punch from the punch bowl. In a tornado the things were set on the table in a wonderful array of color, from The red punch with gelatin cubes, small hot candies, tiny carrots, and small sandwiches to the end of the spectrum that included purple grapes, plums, and wine.  
  
"We need the lights completely off and the disco ball on . . . "  
  
Oren blinked and the conditions were met.  
  
"Microphones set up on the stage with instruments . . . "  
  
The microphones danced as if they were alive from the storage room and landed on the stage, then seemingly connected themselves to the sockets. The instruments followed suit.  
  
"And, this might take a while, but we need the whole Quad swept!"  
  
Oren waved his hand, and every speck of dust in the area materialized into wandering protons and neutrons. He heard silence, figured his job was done, and flew out of the room.  
  
"And that's all . . ." Selphie looked up and saw the whole place organized, Reeve in the middle.  
  
"What?!" She fell onto the stage when she noticed every instrument was set, all dust swept, all refreshments placed, every microphone ready, and even the disco ball set at the top.  
  
"Who . . . did this?" Selphie asked Reeve.  
  
"Oren did."  
  
"But how? That was only a minute!"  
  
"Don't ask me. He just used some magic or something and every time you said what you needed he waved his hands or blew or something and it was all organized."  
  
"Reeve, w-will you go to the bridge and announce that there will be a Garden Festival?"  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"Because I can't feel my legs!" She squealed with delight as she fell to the ground.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Okay, I lied again! Romance can't be done until the G-Festival starts, and I really couldn't do THAT until I got everything else out of the way . . . meaning that it took me over 5000 words to do that . . . and this chapter was getting way too long. This time I swear it will be in chapter twenty. Also, this fic may last longer than twenty-four chapters, so if anyone has suggestions for the chapters after twenty four, tell me. 


	21. Chapter 20: Upsilon Part I

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty: Upsilon  
  
[Part I]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
The power to enwrap one in a never-ending fantasy . . .   
  
Tidus looked left, and then right to make sure that no one was watching him as he bounced the blitzball he had carried with him. He was outside of Esthar Garden near one of the large purple steel pillars that ran the height of the structure.  
  
When he was sure that no one was around he bounced the ball once, and then slammed it with his foot into the pillar. When it came back at him he smashed it with his fist, and then when it flew high into the air he jumped a good ten feet and spun at five revolutions a second, slowing down and stopping with a kick that sent the ball into the sky.  
  
Tidus smiled to himself and laughed aloud. Even though he had done the move a million times after mastering it at Luca, he had still been proud of himself.  
  
"If only my old man could see me now . . . my old man CAN see me now . . . "  
  
Tidus didn't notice that Jecht had snuck up behind him and had watched him perform the amazing shot, until he started trembling in surprise and chattering his teeth. Tidus was surprised to find that he had been a few feet behind him, and even in the middle of his shot he didn't notice him.  
  
"Old man!? Don't sneak up on people like that!"  
  
"I-I thought you sucked at blitzball!" he stuttered with surprise.  
  
"Haven't you heard? I'm the star player of the Besaid Aurochs!"  
  
"What are you talking about? I thought you played for the Abes!"  
  
"The Zanarkand . . . oh yeah. I've gotten used to the idea that Zanarkand . . . was . . . damn! I still can't ever go home . . . "  
  
Jecht crossed his arms as a look of sympathy came to his face.   
  
"I didn't mean to bring up painful memories."  
  
"Since when do you care about my feelings?"  
  
"Screw that. How'd you get so good at blitzball? The last time I saw you as a kid, you sucked. Come to think of it, that shot just now was the first time I've ever seen your foot come in CONTACT with a blitzball. Come to think of it . . . you performed my Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III just now."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"And all that time I would put you down about how bad you were . . . and you're a star player? I really missed a lot. Some father I am, huh?"  
  
"It's . . . not your fault. You were taken to Spira against your own will."  
  
"Why do you call it Spira, anyway?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean, isn't Zanarkand IN Spira?"  
  
"I never really thought of . . . wait a minute, that's off the subject. Did you come looking for me, or did you just happen to be in the area, old man?"  
  
"Both. I'm no good at this, so I'll try to give it to you in a subtle way . . . Auron showed you that sphere in Macalania, right?"  
  
"So?"  
  
"Everything in it was true."  
  
" . . . Every word of it?"  
  
"I wasn't joking when I said it, even though you must have thought so."  
  
"I knew you were serious" Tidus lied.  
  
"You know, screw that. I love you."  
  
"I'd pretty warm and fuzzy if that didn't sound so weird."  
  
Jecht turned to leave.  
  
"I just wanted you to know. Even though I said all those things when you were young . . . I was always proud of you. So proud that I didn't want your greatness to get to your head . . . kinda."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"I'll be going now . . . "  
  
Jecht began to leave.  
  
"Dad?" Tidus asked before Jecht walked off.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
He stepped up and gave him a tentative hug.  
  
"I don't hate you."  
  
"I know."  
  
They stood there for a few awkward moments, and then went their opposite ways.  
  
Tidus went back inside and used the elevators to get to the dormitory floors. After sneaking past a few lone hallway walkers, he went to room 332 on the girls' side, Yuna's room. He knew it was forbidden, but he had never been big on following the rules since he went into the Cloister of Trials at Besaid temple and the chamber of the fayth in Bevelle.  
  
He knocked on the door and whispered who it was. The door opened almost immediately. Yuna smiled when she saw who it was.  
  
"I'm glad to see you. I never get tired of seeing you!"  
  
"Same here" he said with a smile as he walked in, swiftly closing the door behind him.  
  
The two sat down next to each other on Yuna's bed by the window.  
  
"I talked with my old man . . . I don't think I really hated him anymore. Or at least all that much."  
  
"He loved you, even as Sin you know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I was with you, I ran into Sin many more times then when I wasn't."  
  
"How many times had you met Sin when I wasn't around?" Tidus dared to ask.  
  
"Never."  
  
"Oh! I'm really sorry abo-"  
  
"No! I didn't mean it like that. I don't blame you for any bad encounters with Sin. But you, in your small time in Spira, had run into Sin more than almost every other Spiran had in a lifetime. And it was probably because Sin was Sir Jecht."  
  
"Oh . . . I never thought about it like that."  
  
"Everyone was right about you!" Yuna said, sounding excited.  
  
"What do you mean everyone?"  
  
"They liked to talk to me about you behind your back a lot."  
  
"What!"  
  
"No one seemed to like you but Wakka during my pilgrimage. When you were sleeping they would always murmur about you. I can tell you what they said, I'm sure they wouldn't mind."  
  
"Please do, not that them minding would have stopped my inquiry."  
  
"Who first?"  
  
"What did Lulu say?"  
  
"Oh . . . her opinion of you changed drastically. When she first saw you she told me she was seriously considering 'knocking your block off'"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"She said you had no business pretending you were from Zanarkand. When we went to the Kilika forest she commented that you were good with the sword, but all you could get were lizards and dogs. She also said you wouldn't listen."  
  
"Was I really that bad?"  
  
"Don't take it too personally, Tidus, she really doesn't like young men your age in general. She says they're too rowdy."  
  
"Oh . . . "  
  
Yuna put a hand to her chin.  
  
"When you fought that Sinspawn in front of Kilika temple, what was it?"  
  
"Sinspawn Geneaux?"  
  
"Yes! She decided then you might be a worthy guardian. Later in Luca she saw you play and was thoroughly impressed, and even said you were as good as Chappu. When Auron took you with him her trust for you increased 'a few points' like she told me, and even more that time where you took out that fiend before it could knock her down."  
  
"When?"  
  
"On the Mi'hen Highroad, a little before Rin's Travel Agency?"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Lulu told me that she underestimated you. She was impressed with you at Djose."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"It was the first time you didn't break a rule."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"She didn't tell me this until recently, but in Guadosalam she slowly began to believe you about your origin. She believed you completely after watching the Jecht sphere. All the time she thought you were being cruel, she felt a small bit of sympathy when you found out about what happened to summoners."  
  
"About that, I'm sorry again."  
  
"There is no need to be sorry, you didn't know, and you made me think of happy things."  
  
"Every time I think about all that I'd say with the 'lets go get sin' and the 'after we defeat sin' stuff, I feel so stupid. Especially about the fact that I didn't notice everyone's silence . . . Its been killing me."  
  
"You promised me you would save me, did you not?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"In the process you brought us an eternal calm. Ironic, in the end it was only you that was gone, not me."  
  
"Yeah. What else did Lulu say about me?"  
  
"She said that she thought you were an excellent guardian after seeing that you were willing to risk your life, just to say you were sorry. You managed to lead the charge into my rescue, and when I was sad, you brought a smile back to my face. You made my tears evaporate. Everyone noticed that I had the happiest days of my life when I was around you. She saw the pained looks on your face each time you attacked the Final Aeon- your father at the time. She found herself surprised and worried when you mentioned you were going to be gone . . . she told me that she hadn't realized it, but she had grown fond of the way you would shed light on us, add humor, make us laugh every now and then, and make me smile. 'The things you said had a boyish wisdom' she told me. When you disappeared, she said that even though she had only known you for a few weeks, she felt as if you had been there forever, and thought about what would have happened if you hadn't come floating from the sea."  
  
"Wow. Here I thought everyone hated me."  
  
"Wakka said that he was pretty doubtful about your claims of origin. But, he knew you were good when he saw you perform that shot that sent their blitzball into the sky . . . Tidus, I hear that you're the hardest kicker of a blitzball in Spira. How do you do it?"  
  
" . . . I'm getting rusty. I used to always pretend the ball was my father's face."  
  
  
  
"Oh. Anyway, Wakka would tell me you were a little arrogant, you always thought you could take on any kind of fiend. He was impressed with how you handled Lord Ochu. You won the Aurochs the blitzball tournament and beat the Goers four to zero!"  
  
"Yeah, they had it comin'!" Tidus smiled when he remembered the looks on Abus, Graav, Bickson, Doram, and Balgerda's faces when they lost.  
  
"Wakka said he saw them Graav crying in a stadium seat."  
  
"You're kidding. That jerk, crying?"  
  
"It is hard to believe. Wakka couldn't believe it when you saved us when the Chocobo Eater was about to knock us off that cliff. He would wonder aloud about it for days. It was the last straw for him when you started asking about the shoopuf and Moonflow. He then believed you must be from Zanarkand. He was glad to see that he had someone to help him underwater, and when you rescued me from the Extractor. He slowly became good friends with you through the rest of the pilgrimage. When you finally left us from the deck of the airship over Bevelle, he was a broken man. None of the Aurochs wanted to play blitzball, and the arena back in Luca frankly wasn't the same. You already know how Rikku and Auron felt about you, of course. Now Kimahri, he actually liked you."  
  
"What!? You're kidding!"  
  
"Kimahri knows me better than I know myself. He was able to see that I was at ease around you, and you were one of the people that had that effect and could stay around me."  
  
"You know, all through that pilgrimage, Auron wanted me to stay near you, Yuna."  
  
"Really? I'm sure he knew that a summoner shouldn't make any romantic relations at the time . . . why?"  
  
"I think he expected you to get the 'Final Aeon' like everyone else. He wanted you to choose me to become the fayth for the Final Aeon. He planned on leaving me in Zanarkand, anyway. Maybe . . . that was the reason."  
  
"No" Yuna shook her head vigorously.  
  
"Sir Auron told you that he wanted you to get a shot at life, no matter how cruel or unfair, you still deserved a chance at it. That was why he took you to Spira, not because he needed you to become the 'Final Aeon'."  
  
Tidus smiled.   
  
"You've always made me happy again when I wasn't sure of myself, Yuna, even though it seemed I was always doing that for you. I don't know if I could have made it if you and everyone else hadn't been with me when I saw Zanarkand . . . I had seen it just days ago as good as new and there it was, wrecked before my eyes."  
  
"I wish you could have shown me Zanarkand. The REAL one."  
  
"Maybe I can . . . "  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"How about that Oren guy?"  
  
"He is capable of time-travel?" Yuna asked doubtfully.  
  
"I dunno, but I've seen him do some pretty amazing stuff. Who knows what he's capable of? We should ask him!"  
  
"If he could travel through time, wouldn't he have just used it to solve his problems? And wherever he came from would be in chaos if everyone could use such power, and from what I've seen, he claims not to be much different than an ordinary Zatach."  
  
"Oh . . . " Tidus' spirits fell.  
  
"Don't be sad. If you could find a way to come a thousand years into the future, maybe you could find a way a thousand years into the past. Even if Sin is gone."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
The speaker at the top of Yuna's room came alive as someone made an announcement on the intercom.   
  
"People of garden, we are holding a formal garden festival in the quad in twenty minutes. Everyone make your best effort to attend, and be prepared to get your groove on! The dress code is . . . uh, nothing in particular, but try to look sharp."  
  
"Was that Reeve? What is he doing up there?" Yuna let go of Tidus' hand.  
  
"Forget that! All I have to wear are the clothes on my back!" Tidus exclaimed, suddenly panicked.  
  
"And, all kinds of garments are for sale and rent in the fifth floor classrooms if you don't already have any. Be sure to pay them a visit!" Reeve continued as if answering Tidus.  
  
***  
  
Kuja and Yuffie both were exhausted after hours of fighting in the training center, only to raise a measly eight thousand gil.  
  
"I thought we would've had at least eighty thousand gil by now!" she whined, rubbing her arm that had been nicked by a grat.  
  
"Patience is a virtue."  
  
"Easy for you to say. All you have to do is fly of somewhere and you don't even get scratched."  
  
" . . . I don't fly because I'm lucky, but because I'm powerful."  
  
" . . . I could beat you into the ground any day with my supreme skills." Yuffie told him confidently.  
  
"Please."  
  
The conversation ended as the ground shook.  
  
"A big one, lets get it!" Yuffie yelled as she ran through the brush and trees, her strength suddenly renewed.   
  
Kuja hovered over, and was delighted to find three large T-Rexaurs all gathered around something.  
  
"Look! That guy got to it first!" Yuffie said angrily pointing to a figure in the middle of the three beasts.  
  
" . . . Its Oren."  
  
Oren had both of his hands tucked into his sleeves, pressing both empty ends together.  
  
The first T-Rexaur leaned its head up and slammed it down, teeth bared.  
  
"I've never seen him up close." Yuffie commented.   
  
When the head of the first beast was close enough Oren jumped in a way that his feet were facing the angle of the approaching T-Rexaur and with a might leap he used its head as means of jumping high into the air, knocking the creature out cold in the process.  
  
The other one decided that that was its cue and it turned around and swung its powerful tail around. It was fast, but no so fast that Oren couldn't seemingly step over it and propel himself up to eye level with the monster. He then kicked it in the nose, seeming ridiculously small compared to it, and sent it flying through the forest as well as making a trail of busted trees.  
  
The last and smartest of the T-Rexaurs decided that it was unharmed and wanted to stay that way, and turned to retreat. Oren let him.  
  
"Why'd you let him go!?" Kuja yelled from the sidelines.  
  
"I'm not interested in a monster that will run." Oren said after a few seconds when he passed by the two of them.  
  
"But why?" Kuja asked again.  
  
"Because they apparently aren't interested in me."  
  
Kuja watched him with interest and was about to follow Yuffie who was pursuing the monster, when the intercom high at the top of the artificial jungle came on, and in Reeve's voice said:  
  
"People of garden, we are holding a formal garden festival in the quad in twenty minutes. Everyone make your best effort to attend, and be prepared to get your groove on! The dress code is . . . uh, nothing in particular, but try to look sharp."  
  
"And, all kinds of garments are for sale and rent in the fifth floor classrooms if you don't already have any. Be sure to pay them a visit!"  
  
***  
  
Seifer was surprised at how flustered Jessica seemed when she shook her head and started to walk out of the cafeteria storage. Seifer almost didn't follow her, but she came back and grabbed his hand.   
  
"Follow me."  
  
"What?"  
  
She didn't respond as she dragged him through the cafeteria, around a rounded corner, and in through the fluorescent purple doors to the balcony, where night was falling and the first few stars were appearing.  
  
Seifer wondered if that was why he was there and looked around the night sky.  
  
"Is this something you wanted to show me? The sky is—"  
  
"That's not it." She said immediately.  
  
"You're to only one I trust enough to say this. Seifer, as you already know, we now have the coordinates to get Pyros before he gets us. But you have to understand that we don't have the advantage anymore . . . Oren will probably say something sooner or later, but a lot of us probably won't make it back with our lives. At least one of us probably isn't going to come back . . . I want to fight but I don't want to die. I'm willing to sacrifice my life for this cause, but that doesn't mean I want to."  
  
"That doesn't make a lot of sense . . . "  
  
"I guess I'm trying to say, I would use my own body to bring us closer to victory, even if it meant death, but I just don't want to have to . . . it's hard to explain. I was young when my planet combusted, you know. There are a lot of things I haven't done, and that can be good and bad. This is probably the last day that we'll have to be serene. I just wanted you to know that . . . never mind."  
  
Seifer was surprised to hear this.  
  
"Why are you telling all this to me?"  
  
"Seifer, when I'm around you there's just this air of invincibility you exude that makes me feel as if I have someone to rely on. When I'm with you I feel like I can take on the world." She said, looking him in the eye.  
  
Seifer chuckled.  
  
"Heh, I've heard that before."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Nothing, don't worry about it. I'm flattered that you feel that way. After hearing you say this, I just have one question . . . "  
  
"Go ahead"  
  
"I'm glad that you feel so close to me and think I'm pleasant to be around, you know most students find me rude, hotheaded, arrogant, bossy, basically a problematic, first of all."  
  
"I've never seen you display any of that."  
  
"Months away from garden and all these rotten kids'll do that that, you know. But my question. . . how did you grow your hair so long? I mean, every time I see it I swear it starts to pile up on the ground."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Is that all? Seifer, on a junky D-class ship for five years you have a lot of better things to do than cut your hair! Especially when you have twenty-three angry Zatach and their leader chasing you in a brand-new S-class ship. Come to think of it . . . now it seems like a miracle we got that far!"  
  
"Don't say it like that. We can probably beat 'em into the ground now anyway. With more than a fourth of those guys gone and you guys on our side, how can we lose?"  
  
Jessica smiled.  
  
"Thanks, Seifer. You really do make me feel as if I could take on the world. Every time I talk to you, I feel encouraged about the days to come. It really means a lot to me."  
  
"No sweat."   
  
Seifer leaned a bit on the balcony overlooking the sea near the coast of Galbadia.  
  
The serene moment was interrupted with Reeve's voice crackling over the intercom:  
  
"People of garden, we are holding a formal garden festival in the quad in twenty minutes. Everyone make your best effort to attend, and be prepared to get your groove on! The dress code is . . . uh, nothing in particular, but try to look sharp."  
  
"And, all kinds of garments are for sale and rent in the fifth floor classrooms if you don't already have any. Be sure to pay them a visit!"  
  
***  
  
Tidus was rushing to the fifth floor through the dorm room hallways when he head-on collided with Seymour who happened to be turning the corner.  
  
"Watch it you riffraff!" Seymour grunted stepping back up and trying to mend his monstrous split ends.  
  
"Outta my way! I'm going to buy clothes."  
  
"I can see why. I never could understand those things you wear. Where in Spira did you get them?"  
  
"Where in Spira? I bought them from the GAP in Zanarkand."  
  
"Those ruins? Surely you jest."  
  
"The city was still a city when I bought em . . . "  
  
"You mean to tell me you're over one thousand years old?"  
  
"Sin dragged me a thousand years into the future; your time?"  
  
" . . . I can't believe I had someone so interesting and useful right in front of me and tried to kill him. If I had known I would have been too busy asking you questions than wreaking havoc."  
  
" . . . You're not serious. Like you would've believed me."  
  
"It has happened before, you know. Several guado, and many humans have been carried through time the same way you claim."  
  
"Whoa! Like who?"  
  
"I could just tell you, Tidus, but I would rather watch you writhe in curiosity!" Seymour burst into maniacal laughter and as he tried to walk, was tripped by Tidus and fell on his face. It was Tidus' turn to laugh as he ran off.  
  
***  
  
Red paced around the carpet of the library, and waited for Andrea to come from the storage room where she seemed to be spending a lot of her time, lately. When she came out Red was surprised to find her blushing bright red and stumbling around.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"You can talk?! Oh . . . I'm sorry. Can I help you?" she asked.  
  
"Out of curiosity, do you have any secret admirers, lately?"  
  
" . . . Yes-I mean no."  
  
"Zell tells me he likes you."  
  
She dropped her stack of books behind the counter.  
  
"I don't think I heard you properly."  
  
Red balanced his two front legs on the corner of the counter.  
  
"He claims to like you and wants to see you sometime."  
  
"Really?" she asked dreamily.  
  
"W-when!?" she quickly snapped.  
  
The intercom clicked on.  
  
"People of garden, we are holding a formal garden festival in the quad in twenty minutes. Everyone make your best effort to attend, and be prepared to get your groove on! The dress code is . . . uh, nothing in particular, but try to look sharp."  
  
"And, all kinds of garments are for sale and rent in the fifth floor classrooms if you don't already have any. Be sure to pay them a visit!"  
  
***  
  
Selphie looked on in awe as almost immediately after the announcement the quad started to fill up with tired students eager to release the tension of the last few days. She thought about how to get the band together, and flipped a switch in the circuit breaker. The lights went off and a disco ball started to display bright colors, as well as rotate them around. Selphie didn't notice Oren who was sitting on a steel beam a good forty feet above the crowds. Thoughts of the next day filled his mind.  
  
Enjoy yourselves, everyone. Tomorrow we go for Pyros before he comes for us. This might be your last chance to be "carefree" . . .   
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: This chapter is divided into two parts to keep both parts a particular length. I'll get part II of this (chapter 20) in A.S.A.P. The last event before the final battles ensue . . . I wish that this fic would never come to an end but . . . 


	22. Chapter 20: Upsilon Part II

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty: Upsilon  
[Part II]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Red found Reeve straightening his tie and walking briskly as if in a hurry away from the quad.  
  
"Reeve?" Red called him. Reeve stopped in his tracks.  
  
"Hello there."  
  
"Aren't you going to see if all of our hard work paid off?"  
  
Reeve put a hand to his chin. It was about twenty-five minutes after his announcement.  
  
"I saw 'em making out in a corner near the quad."  
  
Red let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"So this crazy mission is over. I still can not understand why you wanted to-"  
  
"It's nothing! Believe me."  
  
Red was now intrigued by Reeve's evasion of the topic.  
  
"There has to be a reason, you can tell me."  
  
"I thought I told you! This has nothing to do with the fact that I never had a date or girlfriend in high school and missed my prom and . . . damn, that's exactly why."  
  
" . . . If it makes you feel any better, then I won't tell anyone. Surely you can find some nice lady."  
  
Reeve laughed.  
  
"I may be young, but I don't have much of a chance. All I really have to look forward to . . . is . . . I have nothing to look forward to."  
  
"At least go to the quad and enjoy yourself. It's probably five years overdue."  
  
" . . . I'll think about it. But I have to postpone my job interview."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Come on, Red! You don't think I can stay a jobless bum forever, do you?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"I'll just be on my way, using the wonders of the Internet." Reeve said as we walked off the other way.  
  
Red realized that online communication was not intergalactic, just interplanetary.  
  
"It seems that my own mission is not yet complete." Red said to himself.  
  
***  
  
Rikku waved her hand twice in front of Sephiroth who appeared to be staring into space, leaning on the railing of the balcony.  
  
"You still alive?" she asked.  
  
He just stared into the night sky.  
  
"Come."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
He held her hand and levitated the both of them up past the balcony at a speed that was slow and fast at the same time. When they were a few dozen feet higher than the wonderful rotating rings of Esthar Garden, he gently dropped her onto a wide ledge built some meters over one of the glowing rings. He flew down to her.  
  
"I can think better up here"  
  
She was shaken by the flight.  
  
"Think?"  
  
"I killed a lot of people years ago. Then a little after that I tried something that would wipe out the population of the planet . . . I thought that the only way to get what I wanted would be to become a 'god', but that all seems so trivial now."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"Becoming a god, I now know, would have been absolutely impossible. I wouldn't have had any chance. And it is because no matter how much power I took, I would still be mortal. Mostly human, even. Now that I've been here . . . I realize that you can extract some of the greatest things in life in a short time. And they don't have to involve the suffering of another person. Something I could have only learned by not trying to destroy everyone and everything, for once. When you're dead for all that time with nothing at all to do, let me tell you, it really makes one crazy. I think it worked in reverse for me."  
  
"Now that you have a second chance, maybe you can try to rectify what you did in the past."  
  
"Second chance? I'm afraid I'm still dead."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Everyone that Oren has brought from 'beyond' hang between life and death, possessing all characteristics of a living being. If he were to die, then everyone he's taken back here would be gone too-"  
  
Rikku put a hand over his mouth.  
  
"You DON'T want the wrong person to hear that! All our enemy would have to do is kill Oren and suddenly a whole lot of people will be missing!" she said, taking her hand off.  
  
"Forgive me."  
  
He held her more comfortably and flew back down to the balcony. This time, he made it so that the both of them landed silently and in unison, which was fairly difficult due to the darkness.  
  
"You don't want to go to the party?"  
  
" . . . Find something nice to put on and meet me here."  
  
"You have something planned?"  
  
He nodded, and Rikku smiled.  
  
"I'll see you in a few minutes then." She said, leaving the balcony.  
  
***  
  
Squall and every other member of Garden's command had left quickly after the announcement was made. Nida had volunteered to stay behind and keep things running smoothly. He liked being alone in that place, the windows revealing the dark outside, the inside illuminated with lights from the monitors and controls. He felt for some reason like adding a romantic setting to the whole complex, so he used the "gray" switch as a means of locking down all doors that led outside (for safety) and piloted the garden over the Balamb sea. The ocean at the time was glimmering blue and the moon echoed off the line of it, something that he enjoyed watching from the pilots seat since childhood. He had wondered where Xu and Quistis were and was surprised to find that they hadn't even been on the planet until Oren brought them back some time ago. It made him feel strange that it had been something he did not know.  
  
Nida was satisfied when he felt the slight vibration as the garden touched down on the surface of the water. He then sat back in his seat, sipped his coffee, and began whistling "Dance with the Balamb Fish".  
  
***  
  
Rikku returned sooner than expected, somehow getting hold of a striking compilation of fabric.  
  
Balamb must have had access to some hell of a tailor, the outfit was absolutely stunning, transforming whoever was inside. The whole thing was laced through two paths of a golden silk, the body of the gown woven in a way so that it went smoothly around whoever wore it. The body was also made with some sort of silverfish fabric that glistened particularly in moonlight.  
  
Just as Rikku stepped into Sephiroth's full view the garden groaned slightly and began moving forward and over the sea that it was previously bordering. Sephiroth then gave one of his mighty-rare, non-evil expressions presented in the form of an eyebrow raising. He didn't know what to say. The third time in his life, only.  
  
Rikku moved her hand as if to ask why he was just standing there, and he took the hint and moved forward, gently grabbing her hand.  
  
"I have learned something." He said.  
  
He levitated over the balcony just as the garden settled on the sea, the moon making a sort of lit path along it.  
  
Rikku smiled as she was taken up again, and a worried expression crossed her face when he dropped down to the water. She somehow trusted him when he dropped her just a few feet over the surface.  
  
Expecting to find herself submerged, she discovered she was standing on the water, and wasn't even wet. She and Sephiroth were on the sea as if it were solid. The water was a dark blue, and the two of them were in the middle of the bright path formed by the moon. To add to the wonderful scene, lights from garden filled the area behind them.  
  
"You can walk on water?"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"As long as you're near me."  
  
"?"  
  
"Hojo told me long ago that I was injected with JENOVA cells. Such an injection combined with my human blood should have allowed me to do things like walk on water. But, you see, I couldn't until now. The first time I tried I fell right in. I asked him, a little before the time when I lost my mind. He told me that the only way those powers would truly be inaccessible to me is if my heart and mind were completely filled with hatred. I've hated so much . . . and never been able to access the full extent of my power. But now . . . I can walk on water. Not only that, but I can let other people near me walk on water. Thanks to you, I've found that you don't have to hurt others to be happy, and that finding life's purpose doesn't mean you need power."  
  
"I taught you all that?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"You gave me something only a total stranger could give."  
  
***  
  
Zidane sat down in the empty cafeteria, staring up at the ceiling, feeling tired and bored and tired and bored and also very tired. His minor wounds were nothing, but he of course felt emotionally distressed. There was the castle to worry about, of course. But on top of that he felt that soon he would be fighting for his life, and he hadn't even had much time to spend with the one she loved. Come to think of it, Dagger had been evading him every chance she got and he couldn't remember the last time he had seen her. Was this the way a lover should act towards the other lover?  
  
He didn't notice Vivi sit down across form him and start on a milkshake with his seemingly invisible mouth.  
  
"Hi Zidane."  
  
"Vivi" Zidane responded staring up at the ceiling.  
  
"You sad about somethin'?"  
  
"Do you think she loves me?"  
  
"Who, Dagger?"  
  
"She's been avoiding me! Did she dump me again?"  
  
" . . . She's never dumped you a first time."  
  
" . . ."  
  
"You have some kind of obsession with failure, I think."  
  
"Since when did you start talking with bigger words?" Zidane asked, still staring up.  
  
"Since I've had to educate my kids."  
  
" . . . Speaking of which, how are the little tikes?"  
  
" . . . Lili's taller than me, now."  
  
"I always knew she'd be . . ."  
  
"You know Zidane, she's on the second floor east balcony, waiting for you."  
  
"You're kidding me."  
  
"She wants to see you. Why don't you go to her?"  
  
"And how do I know that she won't just avoid me again?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
" . . . "  
  
"It isn't a very long walk. You'll be doing yourself good."  
  
Zidane stood up.  
  
"To tell you the truth, I've been dying to see her. Why not."  
  
"That's the spirit!"  
  
***  
  
Oren watched the teaming masses of people from his position on the high rafters, at least ninety feet up. He sat down on the wooden beam sipping on some sake (pronounced saw key) from the bar and keeping a close watch that no trouble broke down. Being a Zatach and extremely wrestles, he decided to take advantage of his stealthy position and have a little fun for a change.  
  
"How about position effect Fa?" he asked aloud. Small sparks of cold fire filled the air around him. Gathering in a sort of red cloud above the room. Then slowly they began to fall giving the place a beautiful setting as it began to hit the ground.  
  
"Position effect Le" he said again. This time yellowish miniscule crystals giving off a golden light gathered around in a sort of cloud and fell out. He could hear sounds of wonder and appreciation from below.  
  
"Strange, I was actually trying to make people run in terror . . . "  
  
The rafter he was on broke in half and he had a delayed reflex to float and keep himself from falling.  
  
"Uh oh . . . I have to watch my karma . . . oh no."  
  
The broken rafter started to fall at increasing speed.  
  
"Oops."  
  
***  
  
A guy named Jack was trying to impress some female SeeD when out of nowhere a large rafter destroyed part of the table, sending things flying and that area into temporary chaos.  
  
***  
  
" . . . " Oren commented.  
  
He sat down on a steel beam this time, hoping that no one had looked up in the brief moment that he was out of the darkness.  
  
He heard an announcement blared over the intercom:  
  
"People of garden, we will now begin the music and shift the ceiling for the disco ball to take effect!"  
  
Nida's voice was ridiculously loud and Oren clamped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from yelling in surprise.  
  
" . . . Shifting the ceiling!?"  
  
The rafters folded up into the top and took poor Oren into the ceiling, stuffed in the attic. His sake spilled and burned his face.  
  
"Ahh! It burns!" He crawled through the attic, dodging rafters and coming to a dead end.  
  
"Screw this."  
  
He tore a hole through the top and went down a ladder.  
  
***  
  
Red stopped following Reeve when he picked up the pace and ran down the hall. He sighed and stopped at his own room, still unable to get inside.  
  
"I curse you you accursed door! All you do is make life hard! With your fancy knobs and such, all you want to do is make life miserable!" He stood on his hind legs and beat his chest like King Kong.  
  
A guy eating a sandwich walked by, and then opened the door.  
  
Red turned around.  
  
"I am grateful"  
  
"You can talk!? Ahhh!" He dropped threw the sandwich up in the air and ran away, then ran back and grabbed his sandwich, and then ran around the corner, tripped, and crawled the rest of the way.  
  
Red sighed again and went into his room, closing the door, realizing his mistake too late.  
  
"Oh damn. Now how am I going to get out . . . ACCURSED DOOR!" He rammed his body on the door, knocking himself unconscious in the process.  
  
***  
  
Jessica felt content being close to Seifer and staring up into the sky, which was now filled with bright stars. The noise from the quad set off the romantic setting a bit.  
  
"Follow me." Jessica said quietly, floating up into the sky.  
  
Seifer followed her and soon they were thirty feet over garden and climbing.  
  
"How high are we going?" Seifer asked, coming up next to her.  
  
"Above the clouds."  
  
He whistled in disbelief.  
  
Seifer's new and improved lungs proved useful, because he usually would have had difficulty breathing at forty thousand feet.  
  
Jessica flew high and somersaulted, levitating in a way that made her look as if she were walking on the strange bed of clouds, her body illuminated in front of the moon.  
  
"This setting is perfect." She said, breaking the absolute quiet.. Her voice sounded clearer, being so high.  
  
The floated in silence for a while, and Seifer eventually broke it.  
  
"So . . . have you ever had any boyfriends?" he asked out of the blue.  
  
"No such thing where I'm from. Perfect matches for people are automatically picked out by special Zatach that know about love and that sort of thing."  
  
"You're saying you're forced into a relationship?"  
  
"Not really. They give us a choice, but people that tried to resist the system found that they would be deeply in love with whoever was picked for them. The pickings would be at age 18 to another person within three years of their own age, minus a few exceptions."  
  
"So, you've never been kissed?"  
  
She paused.  
  
"Oren talked about it once, but he never told me what it was."  
  
Seifer almost laughed.  
  
"You've never heard of kissing!?"  
  
"It's really not a Zatach thing. Humans, I find, are big on touch and closeness. If I'm within three inches of anyone it makes my instincts react wildly. While humans are social, the Zatach are often antisocial and withdrawn minus a few close family and friends."  
  
"You all live alone, then?"  
  
"Not really . . . It's complicated. Oren found out about 'kissing' through databases he uploaded from your planet two years into our trip, but he refused to let me see anything about it. He said he hoped I would be in a position to discover it myself."  
  
" . . . Do you want me to show you?" Seifer asked shakily. He hadn't kissed anyone in three years.  
  
"Sure." She floated towards him and faced him, waiting.  
  
Seifer breathed a bit, came closer, and held her softly as she waited. He tilted his head and 'went in for the kill'.  
  
Her lips were surprisingly soft. Jessica started unsure but then something inside her let the moment continue and soon she didn't want it to end. Seifer withdrew and let out a breath.  
  
"Like that."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Funny, I never expected something like . . . that. You really made my heart pound there, but I wasn't in any danger . . . "  
  
It was Seifer's turn to laugh.  
  
"I kinda feel sorry for you. It's like the mind of a Zatach is built around total combat and battle tactics."  
  
"Well, was that a good feeling you gave me?"  
  
"I either made you really scared or really excited."  
  
"The latter." She said.  
  
They kissed again.  
  
***  
  
The next song played in the quad was a slow dance, couples only. Cloud was having himself a time, holding Tifa the whole way through, his mind wandering to Aeris more than once. Soon he found that he could barely concentrate.  
  
Tifa's head was against his chest so she could hear the quick heartbeat.  
  
Cloud was staring up into the "sky", his mako eyes glowing eerily in the dark.  
  
"Cloud." She said firmly, tugging at one of his hairs.  
  
He looked down.  
  
"Get it over with. I'll understand whatever you decide."  
  
Cloud didn't need to ask. He softly kissed her.  
  
"I love you." He whispered.  
  
She nodded weakly and stood alone as he went out to the west balcony.  
  
The temporarily unemployed mercenary was surprised to find Aeris floating two inches off of the ground, her hair out of its usual style and waving freely around her. Her whole body was glowing and pulsing a greenish shade as she hovered there.  
  
She laughed for an unknown reason and then settled on the ground, the glow leaving her body and her hair falling back in place. She was surprised when she turned around.  
  
"Cloud?"  
  
"Aeris?"  
  
"What were you doing?"  
  
She shook her head vigorously.  
  
"I'm worried."  
  
"About what."  
  
Aeris put the currently messy and misplaced hair behind her back.  
  
"Pyros' ship isn't like normal spacecraft. It's like a piece of a planet . . . the Zatach planet destroyed years ago."  
  
"You know about that?"  
  
"The ship itself told me. Apparently the core of the ship is a living piece of the planet. Our planet was a child, this planet is like a comedian. But that one . . . very strange. The attitudes mirror the one's we've been fighting. I almost fear that the planet is controlling them."  
  
"Why were you glowing?"  
  
"Something about this planet is very strange and nice at the same time. It emits a stream into the universe that connects with other planets, as if in a song of lively chatter, really."  
  
She gave one of those wonderful smiles.  
  
"It sounds so nice . . . "  
  
Cloud listened and couldn't hear a thing.  
  
"I wish you could hear it." She told him. "It's such a wonderful sound."  
  
"Aeris . . . there's a reason why I'm here."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Over the years, I've grown closer and closer to you. Everything about you makes everyone so happy; you shine light where there isn't any. You've been so close to me, even in death. Seeing you alive and well is one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me"  
  
"Thank you." She said, giving another one of those wonderful smiles.  
  
"What I'm trying to say is, Aeris, you're one of the most important people in the world to me, and I've finally decided that I love you."  
  
The look on her face was just what Cloud expected.  
  
"But I love Tifa, too. I really don't want to hurt any of you. But . . . "  
  
"I understand. Go to her, I couldn't bear anything less than seeing the two of you happy for the rest of your lives."  
  
Cloud smiled sadly.  
  
"Do you really mean that? You're really too nice. That's one of the reasons I love you."  
  
She would have responded, but for a split second she glowed black and let out the bloodcurdling scream, gasped deeply and sharply, and fell on the ground.  
  
"Aeris!" Cloud rushed to her side, worried to death for the first three seconds that she didn't move.  
  
She twitched and tried to sit up.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Th-That planet is corrupted."  
  
"What happened!"  
  
"Pain . . . that was a scream of pain. Th-the alien piece of the Zatach homeworld in Pyros' ship somehow hurt this planet. It was absolutely horrible. I didn't think it could suffer that much. I felt its pain, and the poor thing is shaking from it."  
  
She began shaking slightly herself.  
  
Cloud held her close.  
  
"I'm here."  
  
Tifa arrived a little in front of the entrance, close to the balcony, watching Cloud hold Aeris close.  
  
" . . . I thought so." She said to herself.  
  
Tears trailed down her eyes and she walked briskly across the wall and away from the crowd, and then out of the quad.  
  
***  
  
Zidane didn't hesitate to waltz straight through the crowds in his clothing, that of a king. He had managed to salvage the outfit for such an occasion. People would stare at his swishing tail and the gold daggers (even though gold would be far from the best material) as he strode through the quad to try to disguise how miserable.  
  
In a few seconds he was away from most of the people and the desolated areas near the edge. He let out a gasp of relief when he saw a large wooden rafter sticking in one of the tables, as if it had fallen from the sky.  
  
"Weird."  
  
He tried to ignore it and walked right into the balcony, finding his wife staring across the sea in the most stunning queen's ensemble he had ever seen. Like her normal one, except a deep scarlet color. He laughed because he could never picture his beloved in red.  
  
"Hey there, beautiful." He said, coming up beside her.  
  
"Zidane . . . " Dagger looked at him, and Zidane was sure she would run away. So sure that he wasn't paying attention.  
  
For a few long seconds, they just looked into each other's eyes. Finally she laughed.  
  
"You know, you're making this harder than it should be."  
  
"What?" Zidane asked, flabbergasted.  
  
"So many girls dream of being a princess with a prince, buy here I am, a queen with a king. You come and you're supposed to melt me like butter with your amazing good-looks and wonderful blue eyes. And they we're supposed to kiss . . . "  
  
Zidane was surprised.  
  
"I'm surprised." He said.  
  
"What?" It was her turn to say.  
  
"Stunned, amazed, taken aback, flabbergasted, stupefied, bewildered-"  
  
"Okay, okay, but why?" she asked.  
  
"Haven't you been avoiding me?" Zidane asked slowly.  
  
" . . . No?"  
  
"I thought you had dumped me like last time."  
  
"Last time? I never dumped you. I thought it was you that released me."  
  
He burst out laughing.  
  
"Come on, I find the hottest girl on Gaia, on top of that, she's a princess, and I dump her?"  
  
"I find a caring, loving young man with a heart of gold and a funny smile, and I dump him?" she countered.  
  
Zidane shook his head.  
  
"I still think you're avoiding me."  
  
She wrapped her arms around him, leaned up, and the two shared their third kiss. (The first after reunion in the castle, the second in marriage).  
  
When she broke the kiss, Zidane raised an eyebrow.  
  
"That was probably to get me off your back." He suggested.  
  
"On the contrary." She kissed him longer this time and held him close to her.  
  
"I want you to say close to me. Zidane Tribal, I fell in love with you long ago, and that will never change. Nothing in this world would make me want to avoid you under the circumstances." She said, holding him to the point that he was beginning to have difficulty breathing.  
  
"Back at ya"  
  
***  
  
The festivities lasted for four more hours (partially due to the guest performance by Faye Wong) and cleanup was a cinch thanks to a certain Zatach sitting in the rafters.  
  
Oren floated down to the floor and walked around, inspecting the now empty and lifeless quad. A few seconds later, Jessica teleported to the top of the stage, and sat down, laughing.  
  
"Jessica." He said, as he flew over and sat beside her.  
  
"Oren."  
  
"I'm sure you had yourself a good time . . . ?"  
  
"Oh yeah . . . " she was laughing again.  
  
"You have stars in your eyes. Seifer, I presume?"  
  
"Yes . . . "  
  
"Tomorrow, I'm making use of the coordinates that Pi gave me. Pyros is ready to launch a full-scale attack any minute. Our lives will be in jeopardy, and some of us may not come back."  
  
"Oren?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Please don't die. I couldn't bear life without you. And so many people's lives depend on your own."  
  
(A shot of Cloud comforting Aeris.)  
  
"A lot of people will be gone if you die, all of those that you brought from the dead." Jessica continued.  
  
(A shot of Yuna finding Braska, bursting into tears of happiness and hugging him)  
  
"People have been reunited with their friends and family because of that."  
  
(A shot of Tidus patting Jecht on the back and high-fiving Auron)  
  
"And even though some may be alone . . . "  
  
(A shot of Seymour looking at a picture of his mother, tears flowing down his cheek)  
  
"Some have made friends." Jessica reminded him.  
  
(A shot of Kuja and Yuffie laughing maniacally at all the gil they made.)  
  
"Some, even more than friends."  
  
(Kiros laughing at one of Ultimecia's amazing stories over coffee in the lounge, And Sephiroth giving Rikku a grateful hug before parting when inside Esthar Garden)  
  
"So when we go to fight Pyros, don't just stay alive for yourself and me, but for a lot of people."  
  
Oren nodded.  
  
"I understand."  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Final battles shall ensue. Final mysteries will be solved. Relationships will be tied. Who knows what's ahead? Thanks to the Zatach that have entered a realm that isn't their own, soon to leave reality like a dream . . . Oh! Sorry 'bout that. I just love that kind of stuff. Thanks for the reviews. (It's a good thing I made this chapter two parts.) This is still coming to and end, but there will be much more to come, though. (I recommend you read Final Fantasy High, and Final Fantasy University. You will LOVE it if you like this.) 


	23. Chapter 21: Phi

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-One: Phi  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Pyros isn't his real name, is it?  
  
"Pyros" marched back and forth across the hospitalization area; recovery had taken longer than expected. It was long ago determined that a few of the seriously wounded (such as Gamma, Epsilon, Alpha) might not ever see the light of day again. The injured had been held inside the pillars evt rejuvenation. (Translated into pillars of rejuvenation). The full recovery of any of them would take at least another twelve hours. "Pyros" walked to the third from the left, an oblong circular plastic encasing, fluids extracted from the planet itself floating around inside with the power to heal anyone-assuming they were Zatach.  
  
The smaller tubes connected into the vital organs through the stomach, chest, nose, and a cup over the mouth. A small monitor over the device would display the rate of recovery. Delta was closest to being ready for battle, or at least walking.  
  
"Pyros" also found that most of the injured had endured mild amnesia.  
  
"Who would have thought that they would do all this . . . ?" "Pyros" asked aloud as he paced around. He smiled sadly, also realizing that he was out of Kasarov, a Zatach term meaning "sheep in wolves' clothing". It meant that because the Kasarov, often contained in a small flask, was meant to disguise someone to be scarier or more intimidating than they actually were.  
  
After a few seconds, "Pyros" completely lost his looks.  
  
His eyes faded to azure, his seemingly wrinkled and withered skin became young, his muscles liquefied and solidified, his hair melted from faded white to a brighter platinum shade, he lost weight, he lost height, and his original garments fell slightly around him. The one who had once appeared as a seventy-six year old man was now just a twenty-six year old man.  
  
***  
  
Oren watched the stars melt away from the sky and the clouds replace them. The black became a pink, then orange, then blue. He stood from his resting place atop the Esthar Garden, and dropped down the shaft back to the inside.  
  
"Today is the day."  
  
He launched himself into an infamous maneuver, down half the length of the hallway leading to the shaft, bounced up three floors, off the ceiling, and down the hallway at a speed that blew any loose material away and the hair of any unlucky SeeD in the hall at the early hour.  
  
Only Nida was the bridge, drinking what must have been his seventh cup of coffee, keeping the craft stable.  
  
"Do you ever sleep?" Oren asked, coming behind him.  
  
"Do you?" He returned.  
  
"I take it you want this" he continued, handing him the speaker attached to a coil.  
  
"Yes, thank you."  
  
He flicked the switch and began speaking.  
  
"People of garden, we are about to make a leap out of the atmosphere. During the short trip we are likely to encounter turbulence, and constant inertia of massive levels. I highly recommend that you hold on to something within the next fifteen minutes, and keep anything that is not firmly attached secure in the unlikely event that the craft 'bounces'"  
  
He put the system back in the holder.  
  
Nida yawned.  
  
"We're going into space?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Nida threw the paper cup into the nearby trashcan, and turned in his seat.  
  
"Just how do we get to space?"  
  
"Push the small circular green button under the lower-left panel and the garden will be equipped, then just do what you see fit."  
  
"What I see fit . . . ?"  
  
"Fly up until we're in space."  
  
"You don't understand, if we go to where the air is to thin, being way high up, the engines will stall."  
  
"Not if you push the green button."  
  
Nida sighed.  
  
"I'm trusting you on this."  
  
A few minutes later, Squall, Xu, Quistis, and the other four members of the command arrived at the bridge, Squall giving Nida the okay to do what had to be done.  
  
Oren sat down in some corner, bracing himself, and Nida heard a clinking sound when he pushed the green button that he hadn't known existed until then.  
  
The entire shell of the garden extended outward, as if it puffed up. The tiles that made up the outside scattered and rearranged so that the once circular back formed a sort of shark's tail, and the top reorganized so it became as a dorsal fin of a Fastitocalon-F. The front extended to a nose, and almost poked a hole through the Balamb Mountains. The sides stretched into wings, or maybe fins, and then flattened. After a few minutes, Esthar Garden looked like a large shark from the outside. The bridge became dark and displayed holographic images of the stars and the whole room was filled with a map of the solar system and how it was moving on a much smaller scale.  
  
"Cool" Nida said as a holographic asteroid flew past his head. He looked behind him, and noticed that it grazed the atmosphere of the holographic image of the home planet. Nida looked in the sky and saw a flash of light.  
  
"Whoa, I didn't no that garden could monitor things like this."  
  
"Push the yellow, square button." Oren suggested.  
  
Nida pushed it twice, and the entire universe was displayed in a hologram around the room.  
  
"Awesome" He said this time.  
  
Squall cleared his throat.  
  
"Oh yeah, my bad" Nida put on a pair of goggles and earned looks from everyone on the bridge.  
  
"Nida . . . ?" Xu began.  
  
"These? They make me feel like a real pilot." He said. He flicked some switches.  
  
"You are a real pilot . . . " Squall muttered, sitting down. An electrical charging was heard, and then the ship shakily rose.  
  
"You're never going to escape the gravity of this planet using that speed" Oren told him.  
  
"I know, I know. I just wanted to get a feel."  
  
He pulled out the P. A. system.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, those of genders unknown, gnomes, genomes, mages, foreign species, etc., you are flying Unida airlines. On this Unida flight, your pilot will be . . . Nida. Please keep all appendages in the vehicle and do not use any devices that connect to satellites of any sort. In a few minutes, the garden will be completely stable and you may continue regularly scheduled activities."  
  
Squall held back a laugh.  
  
"UNIDA airlines? You've got to be kidding me."  
  
" . . . "  
  
There was a rumbling as the garden picked up speed. The blue sky visible through the windows seemed infinite for a time. The blue became light, and then purple as the garden flew above the clouds. Later, it became dark, and then for a few minutes there was a horribly loud blazing sound and the windshield turned bright red, then dark red. Nida struggled to keep the ship tilted at just the correct angle. Suddenly, the ship broke through and only endless black dotted with yellow and red stars lined the windows.  
  
Nida picked up the P. A. system.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, if you look to your right, you will see our wonderful planet, filling every window on the right hand side." He said as he turned right.  
  
"To the left, that yellow light a bit larger than the other stars is the sun of a planet called Gaia" he continued.  
  
"Now what?" he asked Oren after putting the system back down.  
  
"I programmed the coordinates in prior. Hit the clear button under autopilot and the ship will automatically adjust the setting."  
  
It took Nida a few minutes to find it, but when he did the ship started moving at a steady rate.  
  
"How fast are we going? I can't tell in space." Nida asked again.  
  
"The speedometer." Was all Oren said.  
  
" . . . Just under a thousand mph. It'll take us days if we don't go faster."  
  
Nida accelerated, but it wasn't noticeable.  
  
"That'll do it!" He lay back in his seat. He turned on the radio and the song "Greased Lighting" started playing, making everyone groan. Oren chuckled as he left on the elevator, the song blaring loudly.  
  
***  
  
Zidane sat bolt upright in bed and found the blackness of space staring him in the face when he looked outside. At first, he thought it was the night sky, and then a star that was so close it wouldn't be possible for it to be next to most planets without pulling them in could be seen as the garden passed by it.  
  
He rubbed his eyes and gasped.  
  
"I can't be in space!"  
  
Suddenly a computerized voice said "Releasing artificial gravity. Hang on to your hats." Zidane floated up into the air and bumped the ceiling, then went back down.  
  
"Crap"  
  
You see, the bad thing about no gravity is the frustration of movement. Aside from propulsion, there is virtually no way to get around. You could be a few inches away from something and not reach it for hours.  
  
"Reestablishing gravity, ½" the computer said again.  
  
Zidane dropped back to the ground, feeling light, and making half the sound he normally would have. He opened the tap on the sink to wash his face, and the drops bounced unnaturally high.  
  
"Damn gravity . . . " he muttered to himself.  
  
He accidentally took and inexperienced step and he bounced four feet into the air.  
  
***  
  
Cloud had been trying to find Tifa for hours through the night, and then through the day. She didn't seem to be anywhere to be found. He thought he saw her, then the gravity went temporarily off and by the time it was reapplied, he had lost her again. He was dismayed to find that the elevators weren't working and that even in the early hour students crowded the flights of stairs. He sighed to himself.  
  
"I don't want to do this . . . "  
  
He remembered what he had tapped into that day passed, and used it again. Shakily he rose from the ground and rose up to the next two floors, and then landed. For some reason the air seemed unstable. He panted heavily as such a maneuver for someone inexperienced in flight usually caused exhaustion in a short amount of time.  
  
Cloud regained his breath and walked down the narrow hallway that he thought he saw Tifa go through. The hallway led to the high shaft that led to the roof, which of course was sealed off with the quintuple locks and airtight seals. There was still, however, the small isolated rooms near that area that was meant for storage but not really in use.  
  
Cloud walked to the end of the hallway that was getting darker as well as less humid, and then began to climb the ladder straight up after Tifa.  
  
***  
  
Seifer was taking daily flight laps around the empty quad; Oren had recommended it to stay in shape. Oddly for him, when the gravity was turned off he couldn't fly at all, and when it was at ½ he only flew half as efficient.  
  
What's going on? He thought to himself.  
  
"Gravity has an effect on flight."  
  
That lifeless voice; Pi. It was impossible to tell which one.  
  
Seifer easily made himself a bed out of the open air, which would have been impossible in fully activated gravity.  
  
"Stay out of my head." He said, for some reason not surprised that she could read thoughts.  
  
"If you think something a certain way, I can't help but hear it." She said from some unknown location.  
  
"But it's a two way ability."  
  
Seifer thought about this.  
  
"So you can read thoughts from others, but because of it others can read thoughts from you?"  
  
'I never liked humans' she said through thought.  
  
"Keep you opinions to yourself." He answered aloud.  
  
"Fine, you are no longer aloud to read my thoughts" she said aloud as well.  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"I thought so. I'm sure no one can safely talk about YOU behind your back."  
  
"They only call me Pi"  
  
"And you don't have a real name."  
  
"None of your business!"  
  
"How'd you get split into two?"  
  
"Confidential"  
  
"We're after whatever force you work for, you might as well tell us."  
  
"You'll have to kill me!"  
  
"I guess you're pretty passi-"  
  
"Pretty doesn't even cover it! I'd murder each and every last one of you if I could!"  
  
"Why can't you, or should I ask, why don't you?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
Seifer dropped to the ground and stared through the window. He hadn't been in space before. He was surprised to notice Adel's old tomb as he flew by.  
  
"You released her, correct, Seifer?"  
  
"Stay out of my head!"  
  
"Sacrificed Rinoa, tried to kill Squall on more than one occasion, alliance with Sorceress Ultimecia, carried out an order for the attack on Balamb Garden? With your record, it's a wonder you're still around."  
  
Seifer pulled out Hyperion and started launching random fire spells hoping to hit something.  
  
"It's time's like this when I wish I could shoot bullets!" He snarled, sending the spells flying.  
  
***  
  
Oren counted off in his head that it would be fifteen minutes before Esthar Garden was close enough to the target ship.  
  
"Only a few will be coming" he said aloud to the bridge.  
  
"As we advance further, people will be weeded out and divided into groups of two to make things easy. Aside from that . . . " Oren stood up and looked at Squall.  
  
"Summon someone to take command. I've done my part for now . . . "  
  
***  
  
The stars never came out of the eyes of Sephiroth, except when remember his life's dependence.  
  
THWAACK!  
  
Another poor tree was mutilated, as Sephiroth went on his random slicing spree of trees in the training center.  
  
"Take that, Hojo!" he pictured the trunk of the tree as Hojo's face, and slammed it down, shattering the bark.  
  
"You never loved me! But now I've found it!"  
  
"Your mother loved you." A voice said from above.  
  
Sephiroth looked up and found Vincent lying on a branch, staring upwards and twirling the Death Penalty.  
  
"What magic did you use, Valentine!?"  
  
"Magic?"  
  
"Not even SEPHIROTH can sneak up on Sephiroth!" He growled insanely.  
  
"You are insane." Vincent said smply.  
  
"You are odd" was his answer.  
  
An awkward silence.  
  
"Your mother loved you" he repeated.  
  
"JENOVA is incapable of love in her present state."  
  
" . . . Not JENOVA."  
  
"What do you mean? JENOVA is my mother!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Explain."  
  
"You were injected with JENOVA's cells, but she isn't your biological mother."  
  
"Lies!"  
  
"Would I lie to you?"  
  
Sephiroth was about to say yes, but realized the truth.  
  
"My mother then?"  
  
"Lucrecia."  
  
"And how, I shudder to think, might you know?"  
  
"I lost Lucrecia to Hojo! I loved her. Do I still love her?" Vincent was talking more to himself.  
  
"What do you mean 'lost'? Start making sense, Dracula!"  
  
"Hojo seduced Lucrecia. I fell into depression. I became one of his experiments." He said to himself.  
  
Sephiroth started laughing maniacally.  
  
"It all makes sense! Of course I needed a vessel! I knew someone bore me, and I wasn't just engineered! Unfortunately, that would make me an orphan." Sephiroth said with no sadness whatsoever.  
  
"Orphan? Lucrecia is still alive."  
  
"Explain yourself."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"You all and your emotional problems . . . " Sephiroth grumbled to himself, hacking and slashing at random trees, scaring the living crap out of any man or beast that came across him.  
  
***  
  
Nida pushed a few buttons, and stared ahead.  
  
Esthar garden came to a halt and filling the window was a large, large, large ship that resembled a space station, except larger.  
  
"Holy . . . " Nida's jaw along with everyone else's on the bridge dropped. The whole thing must have been three miles long. A network of large silver spheres were connected in an even bigger network of long lines and mile- long circular hallways that connected to each other in a way that made the whole complex look like a floating labyrinth, the playhouse of a giant. Esthar garden was like a marble beside a bowling ball.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen . . . " Nida announced on the speakers.  
  
"We have reached our destination."  
  
A distant electrical sound could be heard.  
  
"Uh . . . what's that sound?" Nida asked, hoping to get a reply.  
  
"I suggest activating the shields and preparing for the return fire." Oren said so that only Squall could hear him.  
  
"Activate shields and prepare for return fire!" Squall then commanded.  
  
The shields came on silently and invisibly. Nida wasn't very worried, until a large yellow beam lanced out of nowhere from the ship and headed straight to Esthar Garden. Then he yelped and pushed all of his weight left on the joystick. Everything in garden that wasn't firmly nailed down, including unsuspecting persons, when flying to the right. Squall crashed into Quistis who then slammed herself on an unused panel. There was a not- to-promising sound as at least fifty things in the complex shut down from having been slammed.  
  
"Hmm, computers, bookshelves, SeeDs, weapons, Nida, with that one maneuver you've probably toasted fifty-thousand gil's worth of equipment. You could at least put on the shock absorbers or give prior warning before trying something like that!"  
  
"Sorry, commander. I didn't know I'd have to do that."  
  
An electrically charging sound could be heard.  
  
"Damn!" Nida yelled aloud. He barely flipped on the shocks and then tilted the joystick wildly to the right. As a result, the garden was for five seconds tilted at a complete ninety degree angle with everyone positioned in a way so it seemed like they were standing on a wall, which didn't really matter because in space there was no up or down.  
  
"We can't take much more of this!" Squall complained in his mind.  
  
"We should board his ship . . . " Oren said again so only Squall could hear him.  
  
"Board the ship! Organize the proper persons to prepare for docking!"  
  
Nida picked up his speaker.  
  
"Will Squall Leonhart, Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, Selphie Tilmitt, and anyone who is not a registered member of garden please report to the front gate."  
  
***  
  
Cloud found Tifa in a narrow corridor. At first she was just standing in front of stone columns and pillars, her back facing him. In a flash, she brought her left leg up with force enough to crack the pillar partially, spinning to the right in a flash, bring up her right leg, and connecting it once more turning the pillar into dust and chunks of rock.  
  
The next pillar she pummeled four times fast with left-right punch combinations, and then stabbed an elbow with a metal bracer attached forward, forcing the second pillar to a similar fate. She somersaulted and brought her left heel down, smashing a column into the ground.  
  
Cloud let out a light whistle.  
  
She then grabbed a chunk of rock the size of her fist, clasped her left hand around it, and crushed it into even more dust.  
  
"I didn't know you could do that." Cloud said, accidentally revealing his presence.  
  
She looked surprised.  
  
"Cloud, I didn't see you there. Good morning."  
  
"Good morning."  
  
A silence.  
  
Nida's announcement blared and Tifa rushed down the corridor and passed Cloud.  
  
"I have to be going."  
  
She dropped directly down the shaft, not even giving Cloud time for a response.  
  
***  
  
Zidane got used to the gravity, and saw Amarant flipping a two-gil coin up and snatching it out of the air.  
  
"Yo" he said, sitting on the railing next to him by the front gate area.  
  
"Robbed anyone lately?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"You're the wanted man."  
  
"Whose fault is that . . . ?"  
  
"Yours, right?"  
  
He sighed and stood.  
  
"You still don't know, do you boy?"  
  
" . . . Know what."  
  
"Zidane, I'm wanted thanks to you."  
  
"What!? What'd I do?"  
  
"Remember the auction at Treno?"  
  
Zidane's mouth dropped to the ground.  
  
"I forgot all about that! They put your face up in pictures for that!?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Geez, I'm sorry, I-"  
  
"Screw it. That doesn't matter now."  
  
He flipped the coin up, it caught fire, and disintegrated.  
  
Zidane's eyes went lazy.  
  
"Why do you always do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"That thing! You're always smacking that coin up and down, and then setting it on fire! And you throw it at monsters all the time! And then you do it whenever you want to be cool."  
  
" . . . My mind doesn't work like yours. I feel there's more to life than being cool."  
  
Zidane noticed that all of his friends were there, minus one . . .  
  
"Where's Quina?" he asked.  
  
Amarant shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"When you have something good, you don't ask questions."  
  
"That's not a nice thing to say."  
  
"That THING will probably get in the way. Did you know it sleeps naked?"  
  
"I certainly didn't need to."  
  
"And it sleepwalks!"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"And yesterday it was break dancing in its sleep, scaring the shit out of anyone that was unfortunate enough to be out at that hour, including me! Those pathetic students trembled in fear!"  
  
"Great Gaia, don't tell me anymore, man!"  
  
"I don't want to tell anymore. The bottom line is that that thing would get in our way to friggin' much."  
  
"I guess."  
  
Most of the people called were already assembled and prepared, weapons and all.  
  
Squall paced around waiting for Seifer to show up, nervous that he wouldn't care to come. He was relieved when he walked around the corner. When he saw, Laguna and Ward, he almost objected.  
  
"Hey!" he whispered loudly, walking briskly to his father.  
  
"It could be dangerous, where we're going!"  
  
"I can still fight." Laguna said in a way mentioning that he wouldn't budge. Ward nodded silently.  
  
"But . . . what about Kiros?"  
  
Kiros dropped in from thirty feet, Sorceress Ultimecia having flown him. She landed behind him soon after.  
  
"Kiros!?" Laguna asked in surprise.  
  
"Hey, Laguna. I just had to wait for Thuka here to wake up."  
  
Laguna and Squall raised eyebrows simultaneously.  
  
"Thuka?" They both asked.  
  
"That's what they called me." She explained.  
  
Squall eyed her.  
  
"Why?"  
  
" . . . It could be because it was my name? I'd prefer to be called that."  
  
Laguna looked at Kiros suspiciously.  
  
"And how were you so oriented to the events of her awakening?"  
  
Kiros folded his arms.  
  
" . . . None of your business."  
  
Laguna and Ward looked at each other and held back laughter.  
  
"Sure man." Laguna patted his shoulder.  
  
***  
  
Yuna pleaded with her father.  
  
"Father, you can't go. There will be too much danger-"  
  
"I know white magic like you, I can help. I'm still physically young, and can't let you go without supervision."  
  
"But . . . "  
  
He put a hand on her cheek.  
  
"I've missed too much. Don't let me miss anymore. You let Auron come. You let Jecht come, why, you let that Seymour character come!"  
  
" . . . Alright. Please, don't let anything happen to you."  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
Braska hugged her.  
  
"And we will be back from wherever it is we're going."  
  
Oren flew in from a higher floor and descended upon the mass of people gathered.  
  
"Well. You have all been summoned from far corners of this galaxy, for the sole purpose of doing what we are about to do now. We've come far, far enough to say that failure is not an option. Those of you who can fly, lead us in."  
  
Thuka, Kuja, Sephiroth, and Seymour as well were about to eagerly come forward.  
  
" . . . Except for those recently revived from oblivion."  
  
Oren toed the ground with his foot.  
  
"I didn't revive you for fun. As well as reuniting with loved ones, those that I brought back hold special powers to block a lot of the negative energy we are going to encounter, which is why I would like for you all to station yourselves in various positions among this large crowd . . . "  
  
The ones Oren mentioned began to move.  
  
"But bring one you love deeply and trust your life with, or it won't work very well. Your ability to do this relies on them."  
  
Cloud, Squall, Zidane, Jessica, Tidus, an angry-looking Seifer, Pi number one, and Pi number two that looked like she had magic burns had assembled in the front.  
  
In a few seconds Esthar garden shook as it docked with the door of "Pyros"'s ship, which was much bigger.  
  
When the door opened, there was a large white rectangular hallway lined at the top with glowing colored lights, each leading to a specific area. The hallway was around six-hundred meters wide and eight-hundred of them tall.  
  
Slowly, the crowd spread out in the ridiculously large space, the front gate closing behind them. Those that could fly did, and the party that had been so far invincible descended into the space.  
  
"Something's not right . . . " Zidane thought.  
  
He heard large stomping. He groaned in defeat when he saw Quina walking behind him.  
  
For fifteen minutes the crowd did nothing but walk down the endless hall, until it suddenly opened into a large corridor, with three halls branching and hundreds, possibly thousands of lifts meant for one person each.  
  
"Stop!" Oren warned.  
  
At first it seemed that there was nothing there, but sitting on a pillar in the middle of the corridor was none other than Kappa.  
  
Pi number one who floated beside Oren smiled.  
  
"Now you are in trouble."  
  
Kappa jumped down and landed silently. Nu and Xi appeared out of nowhere next to him. Unfortunately for her, Xu had made the mistake of coming along. Omicron appeared out of the shadows, and a blur ran next to him, none other than Lambda. Finally, the mysterious man that had been with Omicron appeared as well.  
  
"Would that be Rho?" Squall asked Oren, slowly pulling out the Lionheart, which glistened, in the blinding light at the top of the white corridor.  
  
Oren laughed.  
  
"No. That's someone whose power matches 'Pyros' himself."  
  
"Who?" Cloud asked, his Ultima Weapon almost blinding him.  
  
"His name is Luminerion."  
  
"This room will be painted with purple and red blood!" Kappa yelled from across the room.  
  
"Definitely purple blood, but I'm not sure about the later!" Oren yelled back.  
  
The battle began.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: There's a reason that "Pyros"'s name is now in quotes. Anyhow, he's tied to the new appearance, Luminerion. I'm near the end, but still a way's to go. I might have to split some chapters into two parts . . . 60+ reviews. I really appreciate it. Old questions and mysteries will soon be answered and solved. (If this page has typos or errors, I'll have to revise it later.) 


	24. Chapter 22: Chi

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Two: Chi  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
If Chi is incapacitated there will be one last resort.  
  
How the party was going to deal with the frustrating Lambda was undecided, but when he had first appeared, Cloud hadn't been as fast. Now there were two blurs zooming around, making wind that sliced the air in half.  
  
In a movement that was now crystal clear, he withdrew a plain-looking staff and jammed it forward, straight at Cloud, who deflected it. Lambda slowed to a much slower speed of one hundred mph, giving Cloud just enough time to push the hilt into his stomach, sending him sprawling into Kappa who stepped in an impossibly smooth motion, the pillar next to him completely destroyed by the unfortunate man.  
  
The crowd behind spread out into a straight line, gunmen in the back with upgraded bullets meant to be almost three times as fast as usual. Others stood by, in the event that summoning or healing was necessary.  
  
Kiros, of course followed the every move of Thuka who dashed back and forth around Nu, who followed her every movements. In a flash Nu sheathed and resheathed his blade, the job being done in less than a second, in the blink of an eye. A gash appeared starting from her chest and going down to the bottom of her stomach, what seemed to be all the blood in her body rained out as her face turned deathly pale.  
  
"That is your fate!" Nu yelled victoriously. "Blood and pain!"  
  
Kiros strapped on his katals.  
  
"It'll be Blood Pain alright." He said, making a pun out of his limit break.  
  
"Kiros, buddy, it's not worth it!" Laguna told him.  
  
"Hell yes it is."  
  
Kiros glowed and flew forward at an inhuman speed, slashing the living hell out of any living enemy unfortunate enough to be within the area, in this case it was Nu. He stumbled back, his blood mixing with the red, forming a ghastly crimson pool of blood.  
  
A blur flew by him, grabbing him, and then another by Xu, grabbing her as well. The scream was distorted as they went off.  
  
"Everyone after him!" Squall bounced off one pillar, a wall, and then down the corridor after Nu and Xi. A few subordinates struggled to keep up as he flew at a blurring speed.  
  
Sephiroth had elixed Thuka, and took over her job. Lambda was single- handedly dealing with the others, leaving him with Kappa. Omicron and Luminerion made no attempt to help. That is, until Seifer and Oren blasted their bodies through a wall.  
  
Sephiroth drew his sword in unison with Lambda's rod, sending sparks flying.  
  
An amazing flash of weapons followed.  
  
***  
  
Xu found herself pinned to a wall by Nu.  
  
"Dammit! What the hell do you want with me! I don't know you!"  
  
Xi pulled up her sleeve, and a circle of red was there.  
  
" . . . How did you know about that?" she asked.  
  
Xi and Nu pulled up sleeves as well, revealing the same mark.  
  
"The sorceresses that kept your orphanage were not really sorceresses, they were Zatach."  
  
"What?"  
  
Xi continued the explanation.  
  
"They were your mother and aunt. They fled the home world long before the combustion to flee from persecution for their beliefs, along with a few other dozen. We aren't sure about what kind of persecution, but you were born when in orbit around this earth."  
  
"So now you're saying I'm a Zatach?"  
  
"Xu, when your mother and aunt landed, you were somehow separated, which explains the burned heap. Afraid of your haunted past they never told you. They knew your age and what your markings stood for, because they were related to you. Of course you look almost completely like your father, ironically enough. The only way of you finding out the truth, blocked out by someone that would have wanted to do so. We . . . still don't know anything about your . . . OUR father."  
  
"Well, why can't I do all that superman stuff that you always do?"  
  
"Zatach draw power not from themselves, but the planet. The planet was destroyed by the time you were born. But . . . now that your near an actual core of the planet contained in this ship . . . you might be able to use them."  
  
"Why are you fighting against us!?"  
  
"You wronged us and allied with-"  
  
"Not that!" Xu grabbed Nu's hand that still held her down.  
  
"And let me go!"  
  
" . . . "  
  
There was a sickening crack as she started to break his wrist.  
  
He let go then, of course.  
  
"You say all this 'you suck, you suck, you are our enemy because of this and this and that', but you won't tell us why! We've never even seen you!?"  
  
"Lies!" Nu yelled in anger. "Ow." He said, clutching his wrist.  
  
"Not lies! How do you know all this!?"  
  
Xi shook his head.  
  
"You would try and deny it . . . "  
  
"What are you talking about!?" Xu screamed again, wondering why she wasn't running away.  
  
"At least that's what Pyros said."  
  
In that instant Xu had never felt so angry. Her face turned red.  
  
"ALL THIS DAMNED BLOODSHED FOR NOTHING!!" she tried to keep her cool and not start out on a string of foul language.  
  
"AND ALL BECAUSE PYROS IS A DAMNED LIAR!"  
  
Xi and Nu gasped.  
  
"H-how dare you say that!" Xi said with a hand over his mouth.  
  
Xu tried not to drool from anger.  
  
"H-he lied! This whole time he lied to the twenty-four of you if you count Luminerion, telling you that we did bad things . . . we didn't do a freakin' thing! He's a damned liar!"  
  
Xi could tell by the anger in her eyes that it was the truth.  
  
"This isn't right . . . "  
  
"You're telling me!"  
  
"No . . . I mean, this isn't right! Pyros DOESN'T lie!"  
  
"Apparently that isn't so!"  
  
"I mean it, he just DOESN'T lie!"  
  
"I don't care how much you trust him."  
  
"I don't know if he's possessed, but he just DOES NOT LIE!"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Pyros is a great man, really! He helped so many Zatach, saved so many lives, because of that he became one of the high keepers of our planet, which is when his name was changed to Pyros. There are six in all, Pyros, Negatorian, Aquila, Nemesis, Itrioutus, and of course Luminerion. Once they achieve this position, they are blessed by an unknown force and literally CANNOT lie! They are incapable of it. We tried it, we gave him a blue cube, and he tried to say it was red but it did not work. He cannot lie! He's incapable! The only logical explanation is that he's possessed."  
  
"What!?"  
  
Xi sighed.  
  
"He. Can. Not. Lie. He. Is. Possessed. Get it now?"  
  
***  
  
Omicron engaged himself with Jessica, while Luminerion was capable of taking Oren and Seifer on at the same time. The odds of that battle would turn and shift greatly.  
  
In a few seconds Omicron had Jessica pinned by the neck with one hand, the other charging a sharp bright beam.  
  
Slowly and shakily, she reached for her gun, then brought it up to his head and shot.  
  
He flew back, clutching his eyes. Unfortunately the last clips of ammo fit for that gun were on the Zatach homeworld, and Jessica's gun was now useless and empty.  
  
Omicron quickly recovered and then recharged the sharp bright beam and charged forward with it extended, the beam almost making contact. A flash had Omicron on the ground and pinned temporarily by Pi.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!?" he asked, leaping back up.  
  
"You know." She said as she ran around a dark wall and came back out of the shadows directly into him.  
  
"We are on the same side!"  
  
"We WERE on the same side." She now ran circles around him, Omicron being unable to keep up.  
  
"I have six years seniority over you! Why would I lose?"  
  
She bounded from the sprint and made direct contact with his abdomen, giving Jessica barely enough time to leap out of the way. The speed of Omicron being thrown actually created a sonic boom, ripping up the floor down to a skeleton of metal frames and wires.  
  
She picked Omicron out of the rubble and squeezed his neck until there was a sickening crack, making him cough.  
  
"Have you any last words?" she asked, staring into his eyes coldly.  
  
"I was killed by a warrior . . . I go with peace to my death."  
  
She lessened her grip.  
  
"You are a true fighter . . . " she dropped him in a heap, he was barely alive and having trouble breathing.  
  
"Kenji Muromachi." She uttered his real name and walked off into the shadows.  
  
Cloud was slashing quickly and desperately at Kappa who was leaving afterimages of his fingers blocking all of the blows.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Cloud saw Squall heading back with a group behind him. He also noticed that Tidus and Zidane were trying to help Seifer and Oren with Luminerion, but he was too good  
  
"STOP!" Squall's yells didn't stop the fighting. He had learned information from Xu.  
  
"STOP!" he yelled again.  
  
Kappa jumped back, and threw a pillar high into the air. The pillar that had to be at least thirty times his size. With the pillar lifted, he picked out a small gun and started blasting at Cloud who amazingly deflected.  
  
"Pyros LIED!" Squall yelled.  
  
All of his warriors and Luminerion stopped dead and gasped as if deeply offended.  
  
"Blasphemy!" Kappa yelled into the sky.  
  
Nu walked behind Squall.  
  
"They haven't wronged us. They are not our enemies."  
  
Kappa hesitated.  
  
"Was it their magic? What did they do to you?"  
  
"Nothing, my friend. These people have wronged us in no way. We have been used."  
  
Kappa dropped the gun that had gotten out four shots.  
  
"That isn't good."  
  
"What isn't good!?" Prompted Cloud, hesitant and scared.  
  
"I fired a retrovirus on innocent people . . . you all. I think I missed all the shots. As long as you don't see a black spot forming on your chest, you'll be fine."  
  
Xi came up to Kappa and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"This is all a misunderstanding. Let us all just talk Pyros about this and see what the problem is."  
  
Oren couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Just like that? It's over?"  
  
Xi shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"There should be no more reason for us to fight anymore."  
  
"Then its over . . . no casualties." Oren said slowly.  
  
"I wouldn't say that."  
  
Everyone jerked at the new voice.  
  
A Pyros looking fifty years younger floated from above and hovered a few feet away from Kappa and Xi.  
  
"Pyros!? What in heaven's name?" Xi was stupefied.  
  
"You still recognize me? Well, Pyros is dead. Very dead. Has been dead for years. My name is Allen, and I only look like him. Why? None of your damn business."  
  
"Pyros, why did you lie to us?" Kappa asked, not understanding anything.  
  
"I am not Pyros, but Allen. Pyros is dead. And Oren is innocent. But I, Allen, did lie to you."  
  
"Why?" Nu asked this time.  
  
"I can't stay for long, I don't have the energy. Know this; I am not even human or Zatach, but I am your enemy. And right now, I only have the power to do one thing." He pointed to Kappa.  
  
"Fools. This is what is in store for all of you."  
  
Two dark lances went in and out of both of Kappa's hearts, and for a minute, everything was silent.  
  
The eerie voice laughed, and "Allen" disappeared. Kappa's eyes were wide open, and he fell to the ground, a crowd watching him. Pi rushed and caught him, just before they fell.  
  
"Oh no."  
  
Pi number two had caught him before he hit the ground. (It had been number one that strangled Omicron.)  
  
"Kappa . . . ?" she whispered.  
  
"We were betr-" Kappa didn't continue due to a fit of coughs.  
  
"Be quiet! Don't talk!"  
  
"Tell them everyth-" another fit of coughs that echoed and made the less sensitive cringe.  
  
She stroked his head and felt the weakening pulse.  
  
"Quiet."  
  
"Pi. Tell them everything."  
  
He stared her straight in the eye, even as his own eyes glazed over. She didn't want to believe it. In a few seconds, his body began to turn bright, and suddenly it dissipated into thousands of tiny lights that slowly disappeared, his body completely gone. She remembered his last words.  
  
"I think there is something you all should know."  
  
***  
  
Zidane almost slipped on blood for the umpteenth time.  
  
"Is it just me, or is Zatach blood slipperier?" he asked himself. He was tired of the walking and the fighting and blood and killing, and most of all, the pain in his chest from the last battle. He and the countless others had made their way into an alternate corridor, where eventually they all just sat down, Pi number one and two talking with Oren in a way so that they could not hear. Oren started looking very worried. Pi number one walked to the large group and sat down. Another bright white corridor with the bright lights, areas of shadows, countless other corridors, rooms, lifts, etc. All bathed in that annoying bright light coming from beams at the top.  
  
"The reason I am in two pieces is because of a project." Pi number one began shakily, upset over the death of a comrade.  
  
"It was tested on me, and the side effect was I was split into two identical pieces. It also gave me mind reading capability. The project . . . is a wide, tall, long, deep machine. Built from the ship itself, it . .. is hard to explain. It bends time and space, alters the universe to certain limits the way the user sees fit. It can simulate places in the past, things that will later exist, etc. It can create, it can cure diseases, etc. But . . . " she took a deep breath.  
  
"It is meant to destroy. It destroys quickly and efficiently. It can destroy galaxies, planets if it is completed. It is going to be used as a last resort. But, the most important aspect of this machine at the bottom of the ship, it can wrap someone in a fantasy. An everlasting fantasy that takes them everywhere to places that might not even exist. It can put someone into a sort of super-virtual reality. If completed, to put in simple terms, it can do anything. Almost anything."  
  
"How do we know it hasn't already been completed?" Oren asked.  
  
"Every time it is used, or even tested, it makes a sound. It makes a sound that resonates around and comes from nowhere and everywhere at once. It is a sound that can be good or bad. It's a deep sound that can be sudden and loud, or subtle and soft."  
  
"A little like thunder." Cloud mentioned.  
  
"Precisely. The machine that was built for absolute control of almost any aspect of the universe does just this and makes this sound. It has been in turn codenamed by Pyros, or who I thought was Pyros, the Fantasy Thunder."  
  
Just then, Cloud felt a pain in his chest. He stood up and began weaving his way through the crowd, following his own trail of blood.  
  
"We have to stop whoever that was from activating it. If he was lying the whole time, then it is because he wanted us distracted. Maybe he planned on us being hurt or even killed? He didn't want us to know. I don't know why, but I'm sure he's planning on destroying everything. We have to make it to the center."  
  
The words of Pi flew right through Cloud's head as he looked for Tifa.  
  
"I know that Rho, Sigma, Tao, Upsilon, Phi, and Chi are in here somewhere. And I also know that they are under complete and total influence of Pyros . . . Allen. They can't think for themselves, meaning nothing we say is going to save them. I fear they will do anything he tells them to do, regardless of morals or reason involved."  
  
The pain in his chest was really acting up and it was starting to become a bother. The more he worried about Tifa, the more the pain grew.  
  
"What was that that Kappa fired?" Oren asked.  
  
"It was supposed to be a virus that zeroed in on whoever was inflicted with the most sorrow. But I don't think any of the blows were successful"  
  
Cloud suddenly felt horrible and hopeless for reasons he couldn't quite realize. In a flash everything turned white and he fell on the dark ground.  
  
***  
  
The blood on his gunblade couldn't be hidden. The Lionheart had probably seen more blood than a human heart.  
  
And after that last battle, he would probably be pulled into another pointless battle that would be just as dangerous. Someone was sure to get hurt if the kept this up. And if something happened to him, what would happen to Rinoa, to all of his friends? It was then that his chest felt like it exploded and almost fell back.  
  
"In the event that anyone was infected, what would be the symptoms?" Oren asked yet another question.  
  
"Fever, loss of appetite, paleness, anger, sadness, irritablility . . . "  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"Bleeding, sweating, coughing, compromised immune system, loss of sexual interest . . . "  
  
"Quite a bit of symptoms."  
  
Squall started coughing.  
  
"You okay?" Zell asked, patting him on the back.  
  
"I'm fine." He managed through a fit of coughs.  
  
"You sound-"  
  
"I said I'm FINE!"  
  
***  
  
Zidane enjoyed the excitement greatly, as if it was all pleasurable to his Genome instincts. The thoughts donned on him of how miserable he would be if this ended, returning to the castle and having to go through all that crap again.  
  
It made him break out into a cold sweat.  
  
"Where would the blood come from?" Oren asked Pi.  
  
Zidane got a serious nosebleed and then started coughing it.  
  
"From the mouth and nose."  
  
***  
  
"Tidus?" he seemed to be asleep on Yuna's lap, but at the same time he also seemed to be losing weight.  
  
"Are you alright?" she shook him lightly. Something was wrong; he wasn't snoring. He was barely breathing.  
  
"I think something is wrong! Help!" she called.  
  
Zell had Squall on his back as he walked over to Oren.  
  
"Something's wrong with Squall, he's not breathing properly."  
  
Tifa was still ignorant of Cloud's situation.  
  
Sephiroth found him on the ground, and he didn't seem to be sleeping.  
  
In a few minutes, Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus were laying on their backs, a pained expression, no consciousness whatsoever, in some cases bleeding, and in all cases heavy perspiration.  
  
Pi number one was observing their conditions.  
  
"I doubt it is the virus I was talking about. If it is, then Oren won't be able to heal them." She looked at him, giving him his cue.  
  
No one was too scared because they had been through bad before, but in this case . . .  
  
"I can't heal them." Oren said simply after holding his hands out, not even looking like he tried.  
  
Rinoa, who had been by Squall, looked even more worried.  
  
"You didn't even try!"  
  
"Trust me, I tried. And if I try harder I might hurt you all"  
  
"Try anyway!" she said stubbornly.  
  
This time, effects of his labors were evident. Oren held out his hands in the same way, the whole room turned hot and blue, and everything light and loose, mostly hair, stood up on end from electrical charge. There was an electronic crackling and the room got hotter, and the temperature steadily rose as Oren tried harder, his efforts not having any visible effect.  
  
"Okay, stop!" Rinoa yelled, the air becoming too heavy. Oren stopped and the temperature abruptly returned to normal.  
  
Pi shook her head.  
  
"It can't be the virus because . . . "  
  
Black glowing orbs appeared on the chests of the four infected ones.  
  
"Never mind. Your friends are as good as dead."  
  
"Don't say that!" Yuna told her vehemently, and a bit out of character.  
  
"I'd say that they have from six hours to six days. It depends on the frailty of their bodies."  
  
"I don't believe you!" Yuna looked at Oren.  
  
"Isn't she lying?"  
  
" . . . I can only hope so."  
  
That wasn't a comforting answer at all.  
  
"I recommend that we go back to Esthar Garden and see what we can do for your friends."  
  
Within a few minutes the murmuring ceased, Allen's fighters went back to confront him. The rest began to follow the long wide hallway back to the docking area of the garden.  
  
Oren volunteered to lift the four incapacitated on his back, stacking the four up in a seemingly uncomfortable way like dead bodies, much to the unrest of the people close to them. It was a very strange sight, one person hunched over carrying them all, no sign of fatigue.  
  
Dagger was made uneasy when she didn't hear the complaints come like clockwork from Zidane, either about the darkness, the light, the talking, how tired he was of traveling, how he wanted to go home, and the way the ground shook every the hideous Quina would make a step and in the devil's case a leap.  
  
Soon the lights went off due to electrical failure.  
  
"What gives?" Barret whispered to who he thought was himself, disregarding the hearing of any Zatach.  
  
"The blood of people seeped through destroyed parts of the gourd, and the wires short-circuited." Oren explained, sending shivers up the spines of the less sensitive.  
  
Eventually, Rinoa fished Squall's Lionheart from his belt and used its glow to illuminate the whole area, which is when she wished she hadn't. Cloud and Squall were leaving grisly trails of . . . blood. So much blood recently. Was there even enough blood among the group for that much to stay?  
  
Oren stopped and bandaged them up, not looking too pleased with what he was seeing. The group was horrified to find that later the entire hallway was completely blocked off by a door that wasn't there before.  
  
Seifer was tired of walking so walked up and started slamming the door, then clutching his hand.  
  
"Not even a Zatach can break that, we need another route." Jessica told him.  
  
"How do you propose we find one?"  
  
"There is an alternate tunnel, a bit smaller, close to here that will give us a different path to our destination." Pi number two thought aloud.  
  
"The downside is that it leads directly to Fantasy Thunder. That machine is dangerous, and the closer you get the worse you'll feel until your body gives out."  
  
"No exceptions?" asked Oren.  
  
"There may be some immune, but I don't' know the conditions. However . . . if you have the virus you can get there fine and shut off certain layers of the machine for others to pass. Ironically, the only four that have that virus can't move on their own."  
  
Oren shrugged.  
  
"What the hell. We'll all go as far as we can and then whoever lasts longest will carry these guys."  
  
The crowd walked towards the block-off and to the right, and just like Pi number two had said the walkway was there.  
  
Pi number two explained further.  
  
"There are three layers, at the end of the third is Fantasy Thunder master switch. We cannot destroy it from there, but we can disarm it. Each layer is divided into six, A-F."  
  
Barret was already losing breath.  
  
"Then how far are we to A?"  
  
They had been walking about five minutes.  
  
"About a fifth of the way."  
  
"Damn."  
  
As the party descended further, the gravity became lighter and they could continuously walk without fatigue.  
  
Dagger was even more worried and was constantly checking Zidane, who wasn't getting any better or worse. After twenty minutes, the effects were beginning to show. Once the group passed into layer two, people dropped out. Eiko and Vivi were unable to continue, Quina, to everyone's relief, fell face first with a thud that shook the ship. Rinoa felt pain but refused to give up. Selphie left a few minutes later, and Rikku's slight build began getting the best of her. Sephiroth held her close and formed a protective shield, weaker than normal. Tifa was worried sick that this would begin to hurt Cloud very much, but he started to get better. Oren didn't seem affected. A quarter of the way into layer two, not even Sephiroth's shield could help Rikku who started coughing and had to go back. Yuna was beginning to feel pain but didn't want to leave Tidus. Tifa's rigorous training kept her fairly strong. Yuffie had tried to tough it out, but fatigue got the best of her.  
  
Aeris began breathing heavily but didn't quit. Reeve started muttering under his breath. Quistis had to stop and go back. Pi number one and two laughed, as they were only slightly affected.  
  
"Weeding out the weak." Pi number one said.  
  
"Quiet" Seifer snapped.  
  
Freya began to limp. Lulu had to be carried by Wakka, Laguna was sent back after a lot of whining.  
  
Three fourths of the way in, Aeris was floating, Tifa refused to leave cloud, Yuna, Dagger, and Rinoa felt the same about respective partners. Oren was just fine, Jessica's breath became long, Kiros had to be held up by Thuka, Braska, Auron, and Jecht turned back. Steiner collapsed, the mighty Barret lost his funk, Cid stayed behind, Zell, and Irvine lost it. The mighty Ward was worn down and turned back. Lulu and Wakka fell back along with Kimahri and Freya. Elena and Reno also turned back. When the end of layer two was near, the mighty fell. Aeris lost consciousness and was carried back by Tifa to a safe spot, Rinoa and Yuna bid a tearful farewell and turned back. Amarant lost consciousness and just before he muttered he would rather be left there. Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus, were showing serious improvement and now seemed to be sleeping, but Pi warned they were still in critical condition.  
  
Kiros sadly left, Vincent lost his mojo, Tifa and Dagger said goodbye and left, and Red XIII lost his nerve as well. Rude swallowed his pride and turned back, and the remaining showed fatigue.  
  
Sephiroth was sweating, Thuka began to pant, Seymour tried to look composed but failed miserably, Seifer and Jessica took turns pinching each other to stay awake, Pi number two began to leave, followed by number one, Tidus, Squall, Zidane, and Cloud got better still. Oren was unaffected. Once the party crossed into layer three, Thuka, Sephiroth, Kuja, Jessica, Seifer, and eventually Seymour turned back. It was now only Oren carrying the four. Halfway into layer three, Cloud woke up, followed by Tidus. Squall regained consciousness and so did Zidane. Oren dropped them all rudely.  
  
"It's about time. Carrying you all becomes . . . a pain in the ass."  
  
No one responded.  
  
"What happened?" Cloud asked.  
  
"Long story. We have to shut off the switch before Allen finds us with his cavalry."  
  
"Who?" Squall inquired.  
  
"Rho through Chi are going to be a doozy to handle ourselves." He explained. The hall opened into a bright room, with a single anticlimactic switch no bigger than a bowling ball.  
  
"Let us not waste time." Oren walked briskly the switch, hands in his sleeves. Something was wrong, though. The closer he got, the farther it got away.  
  
It was as if he was going somewhere and nowhere at the same time.  
  
Squall raised an eyebrow and tried as well, but he found himself next to Oren, never getting any closer to the switch.  
  
"What is this?" he asked.  
  
As if in answer, a large rumbling was heard suddenly, a sound like distant thunder.  
  
"Not good" Oren said under his breath.  
  
Allen floated from nowhere and landed next to the switch.  
  
"My beautiful machine is not yet at full power, but it can still pull off a few things. Would you like to see what it can do?"  
  
Cloud pulled out his sword.  
  
"You!?"  
  
"I am not alone." He snapped his fingers six black cylinders the size of a full grown human landed on the ground, six figures came out. All dressed in white, all with featureless masks on their faces.  
  
"Six against five."  
  
Allen disappeared.  
  
Oren just laughed.  
  
"Give me a break. I've been up against worse odds. No way we'd lose."  
  
Surprisingly, five of them sat down near the switch, and only one approached.  
  
"You are guilty of murder, defacing of planetary modules, and perjury. Punishment: Termination."  
  
"State your name" Oren said indifferently.  
  
"My name is Shirian Kumishiro. I have been designated with the prestigious codename 'Rho'."  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth was among the last to return to the beginning of the hallway, very tired. Everyone was arguing about who was weakest and jumping at each others throats.  
  
"Chicken-wuss, you were a weakling."  
  
"My name is ZELL, and watch what you call me. I don't see you still down there."  
  
"Yeah, and you were on drugs." Irvine added.  
  
"Quit the squabblin'!" Barret snapped.  
  
"Shut up BARRET. You almost collapsed." Cid snapped right back.  
  
"I don't think Barret could bear it." Yuffie whispered purposely loud.  
  
Kuja finally came back.  
  
"I'm tougher than all of you. So you're all equal."  
  
"You're on drugs, too!" Irvine accused.  
  
"And Seymour here?" Kuja countered.  
  
"He's on drugs!"  
  
"Irvine, your only defense is to say everyone's on drugs, just admit you're a weak-ass!" Amarant bumped him on purpose.  
  
"Don't push me!"  
  
"Out of all of us, Seymour lasted the longest." Kuja reasoned to himself, and then aloud.  
  
He was met with four "Shut the hell up"s, five "Be quiet"s, one "Be silent", and three "Go eat some yellow snow"s.  
  
Jessica was just leaning on the wall contemplating. She pulled Seifer aside.  
  
"Oren isn't much tougher than me. Why was he unaffected?"  
  
"Don't bother asking. He'll just dodge the question."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's been dodging every question he was asked. Why do you think so?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
***  
  
Rho looked as if she was contemplating.  
  
"Turn off one of the switches."  
  
With ease, one of the figures got past the trap no one else could, and flipped the switch.  
  
***  
  
The harmful waves from Fantasy Thunder ceased. As Seymour was the last to come out, he was the first to go back in.  
  
"Where are you going?" Kuja asked, flying after him.  
  
"They need help!"  
  
A horribly loud sound like distant thunder echoed through the corridors, followed by a gasp and a slam, then four more screams, after that a ripping sound and eerie silence, giving everyone an incentive to rush down after the others. Soon, six separate voices yelling battle cries and cries of pain could be heard, and nothing could be distinguished.  
  
Quina, to everyone's relief, stayed flat on his/her face.  
  
There was the sound of an electrical charge, the sound of the FT preparing to do something big.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: The battle in this chapter was short, but this one will span over one chapter. For this reason, Chapter twenty-three will be divided into two or possibly three chapters. Twenty-four will be in three or possibly four parts. Prepare yourselves. If you've stuck with me this far, you are a saint. Thanks for stickin' with me this far. 


	25. Chapter 23: Psi Part I

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Three: Psi  
[Part One]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Cloud shifted uncomfortably, knowing he was in for another pointless fight. For some reason, Rho decided she would just stand there. A far away rumble could be heard followed by a vibration, and then vision went loopy. Things began to emit visible wavelengths, and Oren was the first to fall to the ground clutching his head. Cloud was next, followed by Zidane, later Squall, and finally Tidus, not able to make sense of what was happening. Finally, the metal shifted into blue, the smooth floor became a bumpy ground, the high ceiling melted away into a blue sky, grass sprouted, and two suns forced their way into the sky. And then after that everything stopped. For two seconds time itself froze, and then the five got up, Rho- Chi were nowhere to be found.  
  
Oren stood up first and stared into the sky with two suns. Then to the left and right, then down. The four behind him stood up as he kneeled and sniffed the ground, after which he stood up abruptly and clenched his fists in anger.  
  
"Where are we?" Squall asked.  
  
Oren didn't answer. A small child ran by towards a cliff on the right of the party.  
  
"Mommy!" he yelled.  
  
"Hey kid!" Zidane moved to stop him, he was headed right for the edge. Before he could go over the side, the child jumped an impossibly long distance, levitating for a few seconds, and landed on the other side of the abyss.  
  
Tidus was used to seeing the impossible, so he didn't ask. A group of children flew by them at hundreds of miles per hour, leaving a loud sound in their wake.  
  
"Oren-" Cloud started.  
  
"It is as you think!" he said sternly, cutting him off.  
  
Squall didn't understand.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
" . . . Bastards. Each and every one of them. What kind of torture is this? THIS? They're crazy. Simply crazy. I don't care if he is Pyros, or Allen, or whoever. I'll kill him for this, plain and simple."  
  
Oren sounded like he was losing it. The he turned around, he eyes blazing, which gave the four behind him the incentive to move back a few feet. They had never seen him so angry.  
  
"This is my planet. Et Uverone Alif. The Planet Zata. He must have used whatever that was to put this place back into existence and send us here."  
  
"Isn't that good?" Tidus asked.  
  
"Good? Don't you understand!? This place is gone, not really here. It should be put to rest, it doesn't exist anymore. Imagine using a dead body for your own purpose, that's immense disrespect to the dead. Now imagine taking the billions of dead bodies on this planet, plus the planet itself . . . the nerve. Not even PYROS would have done this. Whatever that thing is, it must be stopped. And fast." He turned around, took a deep breath, and sighed.  
  
"I can feel Rho, Sigma, and Tau somewhere here. I want to tell you all, I thank you for staying with me. I gathered up countless of you because they gave to four of you the support you needed. You all felt strong because of them. But it is the four of you and a few others that overflow with the power to overcome this obstacle. You are stronger than anything Pyros has, probably tougher than me. You are the last light of this universe, in body, mind, and soul. I beg of you now to stay with me. Just know, that your lives are in immense danger, but if you wish to back out, it will not impede upon your honor in the least. I will fight even if I'm alone. I will stop Py-ALLEN, or die trying!" he stomped his foot on the ground, causing a fissure to form and rip the grounds in front of him in half.  
  
"I'm in" Tidus said immediately.  
  
Zidane gulped and shivered, and chuckled crazily.  
  
"Not like I have much of a choice. Count me in."  
  
Cloud's mind wandered back to Tifa, then Aeris, then everyone. What if he didn't come back alive . . . ? Not a thought he relished  
  
Cloud slowly said:  
  
"I'm not through yet."  
  
Squall didn't like being the odd man out.  
  
"I'll do it . . . but I won't like it."  
  
Oren turned his back away from them again.  
  
"Aren't we going to look for them? How'll we find them?" Zidane beat his tail uncomfortably in the grass.  
  
They heard him chuckle like a person that was scared out of his wits rather than happy.  
  
"They'll find us." He responded.  
  
There was an eerie silence.  
  
"How soon?" Cloud asked.  
  
"Very soon."  
  
Fifteen seconds went by and Zidane started tapping his foot.  
  
"How much sooner?"  
  
"Much sooner."  
  
"Like today sooner!?" he burst out.  
  
Oren ignored him. In three seconds, a sound like a roaring plane sounded and a three flares passed above them, circled, and then each landed in front of them.  
  
Rho pulled off the mask revealing a head of long blonde that fell almost to the ground, even longer than Jessica's.  
  
"That eager to die, huh?" she asked.  
  
"I'll take her." Zidane said immediately, following her into the sky.  
  
"Not alone!" Tidus went up after him.  
  
The other two sat patiently, Oren materialized his blade.  
  
"Are you just going to sit there?"  
  
There was no response.  
  
"I'll take the one on the right. Cloud, Squall, take the one on the left."  
  
The two still didn't move.  
  
***  
  
"Come on!" Zidane twirled the Ultima weapon, Tidus scoffing the whole time as they slowly surrounded her. She yawned and ignored them, not even in stance.  
  
Oren yelled up to them.  
  
"On more than one occasion I've told you specifically not to kill them, but this is important. If they so much as come close to threatening your life, you have permission to . . . what is that quote? 'Waste 'em'"  
  
Zidane left a sonic boom as he lunged forward and thrust the blade right into her middle, and she fell over it, as if losing consciousness or being killed.  
  
Zidane smile, withdrew it, and noticed as she just floated there. He lowered himself to her face. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing softly.  
  
"You got her!" Tidus yelled.  
  
"This is wrong" Zidane ignored him.  
  
"No labored breathing, blockage, sign of injury . . . "  
  
"So?"  
  
"Tidus, man, she's asleep."  
  
"You put her to sleep!?"  
  
"No! She just fell asleep! I didn't even do anything."  
  
She yawned and curled up.  
  
"Quiet! I'm sleeping . . . "  
  
Zidane was flabbergasted.  
  
"You're not serious. Get up!" He slammed down the flat side of his blade on her head, and she cringed as there was a crack.  
  
"Zidane! You friggin' broke her skull!"  
  
" . . . Look again, pardner."  
  
Tidus looked at Rho, who was still sleeping.  
  
"Check out my blade."  
  
Tidus glanced at the Ultima Weapon, which now had a few chunks chipped off, and was cracked down the middle on one side.  
  
"You aren't serious. Wake up and fight!"  
  
She opened one eye and glared at Tidus.  
  
"Do you realize we had to fly miles to find you? Shut up and let me take a nap! I'll take care of you when I wake up. And don't bother running."  
  
Tidus dropped back to the ground with a loud thud, followed by Zidane. Oren looked up at them.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"She said she was sleeping." Zidane responded.  
  
"Well wake her up!"  
  
"We can't"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I used the Ultima Weapon to no avail. We can't do anything till she decides to wake up."  
  
"We don't have much of a chance in winning if we don't even stand a chance in waking her up." He motioned to the other two sitting perfectly still.  
  
"How about her friends?"  
  
Tidus gave him a sideways look.  
  
"Weren't you supposed to handle them?"  
  
"They say that Rho up there can take us all, and they won't act unless something happens to her."  
  
Tidus sighed in defeat.  
  
"We don't control anything anymore! Why don't they just go ahead and send Upsilon-Psi?"  
  
"You wouldn't want them to send Psi."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Oren looked up as if calculating something in his head.  
  
"Psi isn't like anything you've seen. With his mind, he can emit waves around him for one hundred meters and two hundred meters above and below. They are very damaging."  
  
"And . . . ?"  
  
"The simple truth is that if you are touched by it, you will die, instantly. You'll dematerialize; every atom of your body will disassemble itself. It doesn't matter how strong, how tough, how fast. The only living thing that will survive is Psi. The upside, he has to stay in stasis most of his life to do this, so I doubt they'll risk using him unless we really become a pain."  
  
This made Zidane uneasy.  
  
"How can we avoid it?"  
  
"Well, normally I would say to stay by Pyros or one of his fighters, but now that this Allen has appeared, I doubt he cares about anyone but himself. The only way we could stop him from using Psi is if we were near Allen himself . . . but we can't even switch off Fantasy Thunder, as a matter of fact, from what I've heard its not even completely ready and it can still do this."  
  
Oren shivered and looked up.  
  
"She's awake."  
  
At first, Zidane and Tidus didn't know what he was talking about, and then they remembered. They both levitated upwards to meet her, rotating her wrists.  
  
"Okay . . . I'm ready."  
  
An invisible force slammed forwards, giving Tidus enough time to dodge, and Zidane enough time to put the Ultima Weapon up. Trees in the distance were neatly cut in half. Tidus immediately knew that he wouldn't match up anything like that, unless . . .  
  
"Hey!" he yelled.  
  
He tossed her one of his swords, the Excalibur.  
  
"Tidus!?"  
  
"Don't worry. Rho, take me on with sword fighting!"  
  
"I haven't used a sword."  
  
"You're supposed to be tougher than me!"  
  
She just smiled and disappeared, a nanosecond later reappearing behind Tidus who deflected a blow and started a tightly woven battle with pockets of razor sharp air flying about.  
  
Zidane descended in annoyance to where Cloud and Squall were sitting.  
  
"Oren, Cloud, Squall! Get our your blades!"  
  
"What?" Cloud asked, half asleep.  
  
"Tidus wants us to quintuple team her!"  
  
Oren materialized his blade, and Squall unsheathed the Lionheart, and Cloud the Ultima weapon. They lazily flew up after Zidane, and saw the ball of light that was made from the amount of sparks flying everywhere.  
  
The four circled around, nodded to each other, and then started to dive in, slashing crazily at Rho, who moved slightly down with a speed that impacted even the ground below, and then for fifteen nanoseconds the party's blades were caught, and when they pulled it out, Cloud took Zidane's weapon, Zidane took Squall's, Squall took Tidus', and Tidus had Cloud's. Only Oren still had his firmly attached to his arm. Rho appeared behind Squall and brought down the blade with tremendous force, and Squall had no option but to swing around Tidus' Caladbolg. Squall was used to the gunblade, and the Caladbolg was lighter, so he ended up swinging it a bit too far, forcing the blades to connect in a way that sent him flying into Tidus, who gave Squall Cloud's weapon, and reclaimed his own. Squall and Zidane exchanged blades, and then Zidane and Cloud exchanged, giving everyone their rightful blades, in a time of forty nanoseconds.  
  
The five swarmed around Rho like ants on a moth, and for a few minutes there was just a ball of slashing blades, then a wave of power, knocking all five assaulters off. Cloud was launching the most ferocious attack, so she went for him, the two engaging one on one, until the others attempted to interfere and were thrown back, Cloud himself trying to fend off her blows. Soon, chips of the Excalibur started flying.  
  
"My sword!"  
  
"Tidus! Cloud's winning!" Zidane reminded him.  
  
"But my sword . . . "  
  
"You have the Caladbolg, don't you?"  
  
" . . . the Excalibur was one of my favorites."  
  
Squall and Oren went behind Rho and were knocked back by one of her hands, and Cloud looked like he couldn't take much more parrying.  
  
He spent three nanoseconds glowing, then the next two he executed Omnislash, making deep fissures in the ground for each of his slashes, while only one actually hit Rho in the shoulder, after which she impaled the Excalibur through Cloud, who had let his guard down but only impaled himself further upon it to get closer, and then when she couldn't pull out the sword she went into fighting position with her bare hands, blocking Cloud's sword.  
  
She was no longer able to block all of the other four and Cloud at the same time, so blows began to hit her, aiming for the gashed shoulder.  
  
Cloud pulled the sword out of his wound that immediately healed, and then dropped it to the ground.  
  
One of the covered fighters sitting below made a motion, and Rho disappeared and reappeared next to them, her face pale from blood loss.  
  
"Give me a few minutes to rest!" she yelled up.  
  
"Give me a break." Oren launched himself down to finish the job, buy then the third fighter scooped up Rho, became a flare, circled around, and flew off into the distance leaving the sound of a roaring plane. The second followed them, becoming a flare and then flying off.  
  
Oren landed on the ground, the other four coming behind him.  
  
"We have to catch them before Rho has a chance to recover!"  
  
Before they could get far, vision went loopy and there was a rumble. A sound like thunder, much closer, and then in a few seconds the scenery shifted. The grass was slightly greener, the two suns shifted position, a vast desert bordered a grassy border, and there were three primitive- looking huts and a very advanced-looking building the size of the Alexandria Castle.  
  
Oren looked around, and looked down, his back facing Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus, and clenched his fists weakly.  
  
After a few seconds Zidane was sure he'd go crazy again.  
  
"Oren, you okay?"  
  
He didn't respond.  
  
"Hey" Squall went around, and noticed that drops of water that had blue twinkles inside were falling down his cheek. He was crying.  
  
"Oren?" he asked. Oren didn't move.  
  
A few seconds later, a petite middle aged woman with blonde hair falling down to her eyes with pale skin exited the hut, followed by a man with darker skin and much longer hair, a sword at his side. He hugged the woman and went inside, and then the woman ran up to Oren.  
  
Oren was still looking down crying.  
  
"Oren, you've been gone for almost an hour." She said.  
  
"I know . . . mother."  
  
"I've missed you! You're supposed to report back from school every fifty minutes."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Is that your mom?" Squall asked, stating the obvious.  
  
"Are these your friends, would they like to come in? Invite them, dinner is finished."  
  
She ran back inside.  
  
"Cool, you get to see your parents." Tidus started.  
  
"My parents . . . were blown to nothing five years ago. I've told you, this place isn't here. Fantasy Thunder simulates it so we are here as if nothing has ever happened."  
  
Zidane sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry. You gonna invite us in?"  
  
"Sure"  
  
He flew low over the ground and the primitive door opened automatically.  
  
The other four followed and entered, finding a hole in the middle of an empty room.  
  
Oren dove down, the other four jumping after him, and they all landed in a beautiful and very advanced interior.  
  
"Welcome to my 'house'" he said unenthusiastically. The place was covered in a shiny silver metal, corridors leading to various places. Oren's mother and father sat down at a table for three, the table was empty. As Cloud got close the table became wider and a chair came up from under it. Squall and Zidane came closer and sat down as the table automatically widened and they then sat down. Tidus came close and then the chair appeared. Tidus spent too long inspecting and a machine came from behind him and lightly tapped the back of his knees, causing him to fall forward and roll into the chair, which automatically faced the table. Seven plates swished down from nowhere, each piled with strange looking fruit and meat covered in a brown sauce.  
  
"So tell us about your friends Oren." Started his father, leaning back, not interested in the food.  
  
"Their names are Cloud, Squall, Tidus, and Zidane. They . . . aren't from around here."  
  
"There aren't any forks." Squall observed.  
  
"Just open your mouth." Oren instructed, looking bored.  
  
Squall opened his mouth and a gob of food from the plate flew in. He closed and chewed.  
  
In a matter of minutes the food was finished, and Oren's father lay back.  
  
"Why don't you show 'em your room, son? And don't forget to tell them about 'Athena'" he said, winking.  
  
"Come"  
  
Squall was the first to get up and follow Oren, and the other three stood up as well. The seats folded back in.  
  
"I don't see any stairs." Zidane noted.  
  
Oren flew up into a hole and the other four followed him. Inside was a modern looking room. A pod that must have been a bed, a couple of windows, a desk, a red cubic device, and a black box were the contents of the room. On the desk there was a picture of Oren's parents, and one of him standing next to a brunette about his age, both looking uncomfortable.  
  
Oren sat down miserably next to his 'bed' and the other four pulled up chairs scattered around.  
  
"Welcome to my room . . . we might as well wait till we can find Rho again."  
  
An eerie silence.  
  
Cloud twiddled his fingers.  
  
"So five years went by here without you, huh? But they all are ignorant that they were destroyed, or that you were in space for the past five years."  
  
"Yes . . . the power of Fantasy Thunder no doubt."  
  
Tidus looked at the picture with Oren and the girl.  
  
"Who's she?" he asked, pointing to the picture.  
  
Oren took a glance.  
  
"That is me and Athena. Athena was my chosen mate."  
  
"There just chosen!?" Zidane asked.  
  
"It is made so our spirits are evaluated, and we are supposed to be the perfect match" he replied indifferently.  
  
"Do you like her?" Cloud dared to ask.  
  
" . . . I liked her, and she liked me. As a matter of fact, I think I was beginning to love her. In two months I had planned on giving her this . . ." he removed a ring with a bright red stone on it.  
  
"I was going to ask her to marry me. But then I went into orbit and came back to a destroyed planet, her life signal nowhere to be found."  
  
"Hey, if this place was simulated, she should be here, right?" Tidus tried to cheer her up.  
  
" . . . She will only be found if she wants to be found."  
  
"What?"  
  
" . . ."  
  
Oren started shivering.  
  
"Come"  
  
He jumped out of the window, and Zidane ran over and looked down the two- foot drop. Zidane followed. Cloud dove our. Squall went out the right window, and Tidus followed Cloud. The two landed in front of the door to the hut that was next to Oren's.  
  
"Why are we here?" Squall asked impatiently.  
  
"Her name was Katherine Asuka. She lived next door to me."  
  
"Who?" Squall asked again.  
  
Out of the hut came Rho, rotating her wrists.  
  
"Are you ready?" she asked, floating into the air.  
  
"Oren, I knew you were familiar. You were the boy next door! Still looking for Athena?" she teased.  
  
"Your heartless." He responded, materializing the blade and following her back up.  
  
"It's time for round two!"  
  
Rho's eyes became red and she grew out fangs and even longer hair that she wrapped around herself.  
  
The others went up again for another quintuple team, the next battle was ahead.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: This will probably be a three-part chapter. Their movements are now measured in nanoseconds 'cause they're too fast to be measured in seconds again. Thank you for the reviews, I know have 70+, something I never thought would happen. You all are all that's kept me typing. Keep reviewin', and I'll finish in no time. (1 nanosecond =. 000000001 seconds. 


	26. Chapter 23: Psi Part II

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Three: Psi  
[Part Two]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Everyone had made it to the final layer that was completely empty. Xu had stayed behind, and Quina was in a state of no immediate recovery, spilling disgusting drool and disgusting everyone who came in contact with her/him.  
  
While most others spent time polishing weapons and reloading ammunition, Jessica would find a quiet place and slowly follow the events unfolding in whatever place the others were, being unable to go by anything other than the life signs of Oren which hadn't been to good until recently.  
  
***  
  
Zidane was more than plenty freaked out.  
  
"What the hell's happenin' to her! I'm not fighting THAT!"  
  
A man came out of the "hut" next door with a small rectangular device.  
  
"Katherine, you must be getting back to school!"  
  
"But--"  
  
"No buts!"  
  
Her eyes returned to normal, her hair unwrapped itself and went back to normal length, and the teeth retracted.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The man turned around and Rho pulled her hand across her neck in the universal "death" motion.  
  
She flew off to the large hi-tech building in the distance, and Oren started walking in that direction.  
  
"Oren, where're you going!?" Tidus asked.  
  
"School. You ought to enroll."  
  
"School!? At a time like this?"  
  
"I plan to get her during classes. Remember her name, Katherine Asuka."  
  
Squall started polishing the Lionheart, and Zidane ran up beside Oren.  
  
"What's with the names? They don't sound very alien to me. Like Jessica, Katherine?"  
  
"The translators in my brain automatically shorten long names, a standard Zatach name takes up six syllables. If I know enough, I can tell you the full versions. Jessica is Jhevinessitrica, Oren is actually Matalioniren, Katherine would Kapatratalina."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Long names are better shortened. Are you following me to school?"  
  
"We all are. When do you graduate?"  
  
"When I'm twenty-one . . . you all really should enroll."  
  
Squall finished polishing Lionheart.  
  
"Isn't Cloud already twenty-one?"  
  
"We can fake him in."  
  
"I'm right here, you know!" he said, brushing back the spikes in his hair and almost cutting himself in the process.  
  
Oren turned abruptly.  
  
"You ALL have spikes in your hair, some really tiny. What's the deal?"  
  
"Hair gel!" they all said at once.  
  
"Do you really think I could keep it like this without it?" Cloud asked, taking out a can of gel and spinning it on his finger.  
  
A large hole opened and everyone fell in, all screaming except Oren, who expected it. They all landed softly in a metal interior, Rho sitting at the waiting room reading a magazine.  
  
Squall immediately drew Lionheart, but Cloud put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Oren snuck up beside her unknowingly, stealthily took a clump of her hair and slipped a pair of scissors from his pocket.  
  
"Snip snip" he sang.  
  
"Quiet" she ordered, turning the page.  
  
"Snippety snip snip . . . "  
  
She looked annoyed and saw one fifth of her hair in his hand.  
  
"Snip snip snip . . . "  
  
She grabbed his collar and held him high over her head.  
  
"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!"  
  
"Teacher! She's hurting me!"  
  
An official walked by, Rho immediately dropping him.  
  
"Katherine! You know better! Picking on such a fine young man . . ."he walked off, Rho bright red and then purple, Oren laughing like an idiot relaxing on a couch.  
  
Tidus sat by him.  
  
"Yo, I didn't know you had it in you! Snipping was genius!"  
  
"I'm still a child at heart. I'm no grown man!" He started laughing again.  
  
"My boyfriend would kick your ass!" she yelled from across the room.  
  
"Bring him on, you-" Cloud covered his mouth.  
  
"Are you crazy!? This is serious. We gotta nail her before she nails us!"  
  
"I'm sorry . . . bring it on, bitch!" Oren yelled back.  
  
"I saw Athena two days ago with another guy . . . "  
  
Oren leaped up from the couch and landed on her, and they started rolling around, until Oren had gotten on top and pried his hands around her throat until she started turning blue.  
  
"Take it back or I'll break your neck!"  
  
"Oren! You got her! Snap her neck!" Squall cheered.  
  
She kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying back.  
  
"You're not going to make it through the school day alive, Murasaki!" she waved her fist at him and walked off.  
  
Oren stood up abruptly, regained his composure, and then walked through the halls, the other four following him.  
  
"Should you take her threat seriously?" Squall asked.  
  
A guy dropped from up high and landed behind Oren, grabbing his neck.  
  
"You been messin' with my girl?" he asked, clutching his neck.  
  
"I didn't do anything to your bitch!" he yelled, flipping him over, and materializing his blade to his neck.  
  
"W-where'd you learn to do that!?"  
  
"Uh . . . you didn't see anything."  
  
The guy lay mesmerized, and Oren hurried with the others around the corner.  
  
"Watch your temper" Cloud advised. Then he switched to a less serious tone.  
  
"Aren't we going to get enrolled?"  
  
"I'll have to fake you in. They do blood tests, and they'll find our you aren't Zatach and then a whole bunch of confusion will follow."  
  
Oren held out his arm and the four behind him stopped. A hole opened underneath them and as they fell it was completely dark. In a few seconds bright lights snapped on and Tidus and Zidane were the first to land on a platform, followed by Cloud and Squall, and then Oren. The floating platform contained fifteen seats.  
  
"Just blend in and take a seat" Oren advised.  
  
The platform was "orbiting" a podium in the middle where an instructor stood tapping his foot. Five other platforms partially filled with people also levitated around the podium. In three seconds there was a short beep, and then the instructor cleared his throat.  
  
"Welcome back to class, students. Today we will be educated on the orbital patterns of our planet, and their alternating nature between the two suns."  
  
The class groaned and Oren let out a sigh.  
  
"I hate this subject. They've been teaching it to us for eight years!"  
  
"As I educate you, you will work in pairs."  
  
The class cheered.  
  
"But I will choose the partner."  
  
The class groaned and booed.  
  
Oren whispered back:  
  
"You aren't enrolled, so you four just partner up with each other and not look conspicuous."  
  
"Oren Murasaki!? Are you talking?"  
  
"No sir!"  
  
"Hmm . . . who would like to keep an eye on this trouble maker? Do I have any volunteers?"  
  
A hand went up on the other side of the room.  
  
"Katherine, look after him and be his partner."  
  
With a charging sound Rho suddenly appeared next to him, greeting him with mock happiness.  
  
"How are you today?" she said with a painfully fake smile.  
  
"Just fine. And you?" he asked through an equally fake smile through clenched teeth.  
  
"DANDY!"  
  
Squall listened to the whole presentation for bits of useful information, and didn't really understand anything that was being said. He did notice Rho whisper something to Oren, and then the ground started to shake for a short amount of time.  
  
After what was actually a long time but seemed like a short time, class was "adjourned" as the instructor said. A short fifteen-minute break followed that Oren left the four in the hallway saying that he had business with an old friend.  
  
The four withered ones from different corners for the first time stared each other down. They had never been alone together or made any attempt at conversation.  
  
Zidane and Tidus sat on one bench in a medium-sized "rest area", with Cloud and Squall on the benches opposite. There was an eerie silence between the four.  
  
Tidus eventually broke the ice.  
  
"So Cloud, what'd you do that was so great? Oren said you all did something special."  
  
Cloud wasn't sure he felt like talking about that all, but then again there was nothing else to talk about.  
  
"The planet I was from was dying. Machines called Mako reactors would take Mako energy-in a way the blood of the planet-from the inside. The machines were built by a corporation called Shinra that wanted to achieve control of the world through the powering of these reactors."  
  
"What's so bad about reactors? If they extracted energy it must have been for a good cause." Tidus reasoned.  
  
"The energy was killing the planet-and they knew that. Not only that, but they were using harmful and sometimes lethal methods to achieve power. On top of that, reactors were very dangerous, produced monsters, and there was even a probability of them exploding. It would make grass around it black, animals die, machines would gain violent nature. We later encountered Sephiroth, who tried to ascend to the level of a god by using Mako gatherings from a large injury in the planet that he was to create by summoning a meteor with black materia. To make a long story short, he killed Aeris, we fought him, beat him, and Aeris' prayer stopped meteor"  
  
"I was a student at Balamb Garden and had just become a SeeD-a member of a mercenary squadron. We had to assassinate a sorceress, who had recruited Seifer as a lapdog, and we failed. Galbadian's retaliated and launched missiles at Balamb and Trabia Gardens. We got Balamb to fly to avert the missiles, but others hit Trabia garden. Zell, Quistis, Irvine, Selphie and I found out we were from the same orphanage, and Rinoa felt left out. We also found out that Sorceress Edea was our Matron. Edea made a base at Galbadia garden, and they attacked us in Balamb. Their commander, my rival Seifer. When we infiltrated to get the sorceress, he tried to kill me twice and failed. We defeated Edea, but found out that a sorceress from the future, Ultimecia, had possessed her. We went to Esthar; traveled to the future through the time compression Ultimecia caused, defeated her, and kept her from taking over to the world. That's just a breakdown, though." Squall said, taking a deep breath.  
  
"I was a bandit of Tantalus, and we were going to kidnap Princess Garnet, Dagger, because she had requested it of Regent Cid, who had asked us. Our ship was shot down into an evil forest, and I met Rusty, Steiner, a knight trying to protect her. I also had Vivi along, a black mage who had ended up with me by twist of fate. We escaped and eventually took a ship back to Lindblum, where we found the Regent was an oglop! Due to a request, we headed to Gizamaluke's Grotto, but I ended up put to sleep by Dagger and Steiner, who went off on their own to a gate to get back to Alexandria. I found my old friend Freya, and we found a weird character, Quina, in a marsh. The four of us went through the grotto and then to Burmecia, where we fought General Beatrix-one tough woman-and found that a shifty character- Kuja-was using the Queen to instigate war. We went to Cleyra to speak with the king, fought Beatrix again, and escaped just as Cleyra was destroyed due to resistance against Alexandria. We went to Alexandria, converted Beatrix to the good fight, and Steiner and Freya stayed behind with her to fight. Vivi, Dagger and I escaped (Quina had stayed behind near Cleyra) to get to Treno, but ended up in Lindblum, which ended up destroyed by black mages Kuja had created! So from there we headed to Qu's marsh where we found Quina, took an underground path to get to a new continent so we could kill Kuja and stop the madness, fought a bounty hunter Lani, and made it to the Conde Petite, and then to a Black Mage Village where we found mages with souls. After which we returned to the Conde Petite, where we found a summoner named Eiko, and later a hunter named Amarant that I defeated. They all followed us, we went to the Iifa tree, left, came back, saw Kuja, left, went back to Alexandria after the old Queen died Dagger was crowned and I went to Treno to fight a card tournament where I won, and then went back to Alexandria which was under attack by Bahamut!"  
  
"The aeon?" asked Tidus.  
  
"The GF?" asked Squall.  
  
"The summon?" asked Cloud.  
  
Zidane looked around.  
  
"You're all crazy! The eidolon you nitwits! Anyway, Alexander saved them, then we went to Lindblum where Dagger lost her voice, so we could take a ship to get to the Black Mage village, the mages told us where Kuja's hideout was, we went there, he kidnapped us, forced me, Freya, Quina, and Amarant to go to Oeilvert to get a stone for Kuja, we returned, escaped with Cid's wife, followed Kuja through a door in Esto Gaza, went to various locations to find stones to open a portal to Terra, where I found out I was a Genome from there. Kuja instigated revolution to disturb enough souls so our planet could be absorbed. I went back to Gaia with everyone, went into the Iifa tree to confront Kuja, defeated him and another being called Necron, rescued Kuja, and returned to Alexandria"  
  
"I lived in a place called Zanarkand, and was taken 1000 years into the future where an entity called Sin went around destroying technology on random occasions as punishment for sins long ago. Summoners would summon aeons, acquiring them throughout a journey to eventually defeat Sin , after which he'd be gone for ten years, after which he would return. I wanted to get back to Zanarkand, not caring if it was destroyed 1000 years ago. I was separated for my "parent" Auron. By the way, I always hated my real father who had experienced the same fate as I. I met Wakka, who introduced me to Lulu and Kimahri, guardians for Yuna. We went around obtaining aeons, fighting Sin along the way. Seymour, a maester who was greatly respected, was actually a bastard and tried to kill us, but we killed him and were seen as traitors, except he didn't really die and remained unsent, and Yuna kept trying to "send" him, or guide him to the farplane. We found Rikku and Auron much earlier, and with them we went to the Al Bhed home, where I found out that Yuna would die fighting Sin. She turned up missing after the home was attacked, we found her with Seymour, rescued her, escaped, she continued her pilgrimage, we went to Zanarkand, and it was still gone!" Tidus caught his breath.  
  
"To obtain the final aeon, one of us had to die, but we wouldn't have that. We found an alternate way, went inside Sin, who was actually my father who had had to die long ago, defeated him, defeated Sin, and beat Yu Yevon, a "god" who had put Sin on Spira. Because doing this stilled the fayth, I disappeared, but a few months later was taken back by that same fayth . . . that's actually pretty rough and a LOT more happened than what I just said, but that was to make a long story short . . . "  
  
Though the stories were summarized, hard to keep up with, and vague as hell, the four managed to get a grasp of what the others had done.  
  
Around went stories of reactors, corporations, energy, the planet, sorceresses, rivals, gardens, time compression, castles, wars, Genomes, crystals, temples, summoners, Yevon, and Sin. The long stories and combinations of their elements summoned a freaky kind of harmony.  
  
In a few minutes, Oren came rushing back with a wide grin on his face, abruptly taking a seat next to Cloud and pulling up his sleeves.  
  
"You all, I found some valuable information from my friend. Of course, because this place is simulated life has gone on, but to everyone else I have always been here. You all know I have been gone for five years, so that means there are certain things I don't know. I found out that when I was fifteen, Katherine had feelings for me that grew . . . and they remain even now, and is jealous of Athena."  
  
"She seems to hate you, actually" Tidus said, leaning back.  
  
"Besides, she's been gone for five years too."  
  
"I am aware, but Tidus, the things they say are things that would have happened had she stayed. If she would have loved me in school, then why not when chasing me across the cosmos?"  
  
"Good point" Squall said, sitting more erect. "But how does that help us?"  
  
"I'm glad you asked. You probably know of a Zatach's antisocial instincts, but they're basically incapable of killing one they love, or even like. If she has any feelings for me whatsoever, I can't lose!"  
  
The four of him gave him a disgusted look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You'd kill her, and use feelings to your advantage? That'd be using her, man!" Zidane explained.  
  
" . . . "  
  
"You shouldn't play with love or one's feelings" Cloud added, looking down.  
  
" . . . You don't seem to understand that this is the fate of the universe, and she's tried to kill me more than once. Did you know that she bullied me mercilessly back at Pyros' ship? She-"  
  
The four just stared at him.  
  
"Think what you want! But I shall do what I must! This is war! Are you all in or out?" Oren stood up and walked through the doors leading to the outside. School was out for the hour, and the others followed him as he strode down the wide field where a lone figure stood with four masked figures.  
  
"Her other friends have returned" Oren whispered into the cool air. Dawn was beginning to set, casting an eerie glow on everything and making the mood seem fitting. The others un in the background was partially set, giving everything two shadows and making the sky turn colors that would have been impossible on a single-sunned planet.  
  
"You all stay prepared. I'll try to handle Rho alone this time."  
  
The dots gradually became more distinguishable, and Squall was the first one to draw a weapon.  
  
There was a sound like distant thunder, and then the scene began to shift. The ground became cold, snow began to fall, and only the nine fighters remained. In a few seconds, bitter cold enveloped, crowds disappeared, and the suns were hidden behind dark clouds.  
  
Rho immediately began closing the gap by walking forward through the deep snow along with the masked figure next to her. Her shape showed a feminine appearance.  
  
"Eta would be embarrassed. She should have come with us, it would have been a great help" Oren said, not drawing a weapon of any kind.  
  
"She and those other two are alive?" Squall asked.  
  
"Alive? Of course! They've been alive this whole time, what made you think they were dead?"  
  
"I thought they shot themselves."  
  
"You think they're crazy? Gungrave seppuku is a fast way to get yourself to a certain area of the supplier ship, in this case Allen's. They're in the ether chambers."  
  
Oren could practically feel the blank looks.  
  
"They can't be reached in the ether chambers, and in the process a certain few people use their power . . . ?"  
  
"So if they come out we're back to normal?" Tidus asked nervously.  
  
"Yep. Eta wasn't tough enough, her energy only supplied one of you. Mu and Theta were tough enough to supply two people each"  
  
"That's five people, and there're only four of us that couldn't do that stuff before" Squall pointed out.  
  
Oren stopped in his tracks.  
  
"So that's what happened to Seifer. And FT should be taking us to a beach . . . "  
  
The scene shifted into that of a beach.  
  
" . . . How did you know that would happen?" Squall asked slowly.  
  
"I'll tell you later"  
  
"What about those Galbadian military ranks on your coat?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"And how'd you know about the planned attack a few days ago?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"You gonna talk?" Zidane asked.  
  
"There's no time for this!"  
  
The five were now only a few yards in front of Rho and her accomplice.  
  
"Let's finish this." Oren said, floating upwards following Rho up into the air.  
  
The accomplice pulled off a mask, a woman in her early thirties with short blonde hair, and two others appeared beside her.  
  
"We have determined that you cannot be defeated by normal means. It will quite possibly take our combined force"  
  
The other two remained masked and then disappeared again.  
  
"Hold your breath!" Oren yelled loudly from above.  
  
They complied, and Cloud felt himself being grabbed by the collar. He looked right into the purple eyes of the unmasked woman, who had grabbed Squall as well.  
  
"Take his suggestion" she said with no emotion as she flew up and speeds that made the Cloud and Squall's lips press back and soon enough, their inside felt as if they were turning into mush.  
  
The continent became visible, and for brief seconds they were plunging through a burning fire, and then they felt their bodies put on a sort of defensive mechanism that was unplacable.  
  
"What is that?" Cloud tried to ask. His voice, however, couldn't be heard. He opened his eyes, and found that he was in the middle of space, Squall floating by him, and the blonde woman in front. His body must have retained quite a bit of Zatach power, he could hold his breath for hours and he wasn't materializing.  
  
Welcome to space. Your future oblivion, she said telepathically. It didn't sound like a person, however, it sounded like someone being controlled.  
  
Cloud tried directing his thoughts to Squall, and somehow it worked.  
  
One of the Pi's mentioned that most of the others, probably excluding Rho, are under complete control of Allen. Do you think that that means she's being controlled with most of the others?  
  
Squall only nodded.  
  
***  
  
Rho's standing accomplice paced around, waiting for Rho to begin, ignoring Zidane and Tidus. Her other two accomplices that were sitting remained seated.  
  
"Ready?" Rho asked Oren as they both hovered around a few hundred feet up.  
  
Oren nodded, still not drawing a weapon.  
  
She held out her hand in a straight fashion and sent it straight at his throat, stopping just at just a few centimeters. He didn't flinch, but instead just looked at her.  
  
An angry look spread on her face and she took out a small dagger, swinging it at his neck and each time stopping at a few inches.  
  
"Why won't you fight!?"  
  
She thrust the knife forward and stopped again just in front of his face, and she let out an agitated growl as the cold winds blew her hair through her face.  
  
Finally Oren grabbed the knife, twisted her arm around her back, and whispered into her ear.  
  
"You have lost. I know you won't harm me."  
  
She gasped as he launched her down into the ground, and then flew down after her.  
  
"Now surrender!" he said, landing atop a snowy pile, the wind and snow subsiding.  
  
She slowly stood up.  
  
"Athena wasn't the one you needed."  
  
"You are not the judge of that!"  
  
"You know where she is! Because of her, I never even had a chance!"  
  
"You already have a-"  
  
"You know that sometimes the parings are wrong, Oren! Yo know it! You should have been with me!"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Upsilon! Kill them!"  
  
The seated figure stood up quickly, one removing the mask to reveal a head of white hair, and a face that made him appear in his late teens. His eyes turned white and he stared at Rho, then began talking in Allen's ghostly voice.  
  
"I never needed to control YOU, Rho, you are loyal to the end!"  
  
"Zidane! Tidus! A few weeks ago I injured Upsilon when we were still in space! He shouldn't be able to fight if you find some way to release their possession!" Oren yelled. He then shifted his attention to Rho.  
  
"I will have to knock you out."  
  
"You will do no such thing! You'll talk to me!"  
  
"We have nothing to discuss."  
  
"How can you be so cold!?"  
  
For a second, Oren had a wicked smile that soon disappeared. For that second, he didn't look like himself.  
  
"Rho, please stand down."  
  
"You know Athena is one of us."  
  
Oren charged up.  
  
"I made sure she suffered on her stay."  
  
Oren's eyes flared and he lurched forward, knocking her into a snowy pile, and pinning her with force that knocked the wind form her lungs and rendered her unconscious. He put up his hand to strike the finishing blow, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw one of the masked figures.  
  
"Let's not make another Iota." Said a feminine voice.  
  
***  
  
Only a few decided to remain at the chamber where Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus had mysteriously disappeared along with Oren. Near the entrance to the chamber Tifa, Rinoa, Dagger, and Yuna were scattered around one hundred square meters thinking to themselves about those lost.  
  
Pi number one and two were standing on the right wall, and Jessica continued concentrating on finding Oren, Seifer with her. Seifer looked up as two doors behind him closed, and then more across the chamber until it was completely closed off. Only the two Pi's, Jessica and Seifer remained inside the vast expanse. Two flashes of light appeared and the room became even brighter.  
  
Two women in their late twenties came of the bright lights, one with long black hair and the other with short black hair, wearing easily recognizable garments.  
  
"They are under Allen's complete control! Do not hesitate if you wish to live!" Pi number two yelled, taking out a silver sword and flying forward. Pi number one unsheathed a black sword and followed.  
  
"Phi" the long-haired one said in a strange voice, disappearing.  
  
"Chi" the short-haired one said in a similarly strange voice, disappearing as well.  
  
Pi number one turned around and stabbed just in time to nearly shish-kebab Phi, and Pi number two let out a battle cry as she descended upon the reappearing Chi.  
  
"I'll go after Phi!" Seifer yelled, withdrawing the Hyperion and launching over to assist Pi number two, Jessica preparing to use her own fists to help deal with Chi.  
  
***  
  
The masked figure staring at Oren removed the mask, revealing the face that almost made Oren cry.  
  
"Athena . . . ?"  
  
"Not anymore." She whispered into his ear. "They call me Sigma, now."  
  
She looked into the sky.  
  
"In a few seconds, your two friends will have finished the battle with Tau, the others will have finished Upsilon, and four of your other friends shouldn't have much trouble with Chi and Phi. But will you fight me?"  
  
"What are you talking about? Athena, I never knew!"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"There are many things more important. And for your sake, there is something very important that I will not tell you. Now show no mercy if you wish to live!"  
  
The next seconds she was gone, and then the next she reappeared behind Oren preparing to strike. Oren nervously sidestepped.  
  
"Athena, stop! Allen is controlling you!"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"I am doing this of my own free will" she took out a knife and started thrusting. Oren dodged every blow and gradually floated up into the harsh winds as the snow gradually began to fall again.  
  
"Are you going to fight back!?"  
  
"Never!"  
  
"Kill me if you wish to live, Murasaki!"  
  
She thrust herself towards him, spinning on the blade, then swung it like a propeller. Oren was becoming exhausted with the dodging.  
  
"Soon you will tire! Your life is important! Kill me if you wish to live!"  
  
"Why do you want to die so badly?" He asked, dodging with fatigue.  
  
"For your sake, you must not know!"  
  
"I meet you for the first time in years, never seeing you on Allen's ship in the short time I spent there, and now that I meet you all you want to do is kill me!?"  
  
"Shut up and kill me!"  
  
"I won't!"  
  
***  
  
Jessica braced herself as Chi's eyes turned red, she reared her head back, and slammed it forward, the beam engulfing her and then Jessica, slowly tearing her to bits.  
  
Seifer immediately put himself in the way and absorbed another half.  
  
Pi number one shifted her attention closer to Phi as Seifer had taken her place.  
  
"Seifer! Don't do that!" Jessica commanded as she flew around him and began an ineffective assault on Chi.  
  
"I won't let anything happen to you!"  
  
"I won't let anything happen to YOU!" she countered, as Seifer doubled up the power, launching slashes at the head and neck of Chi who dodged and at the same time seemed to slowly move her head to do so, as if she could predict the blows.  
  
Chi somersaulted literally through Jessica, appeared behind her, and grabbed her throat with a crack. Jessica in retaliation began drilling her legs into her stomach, causing her to ease up a bit.  
  
"Let her go!" Seifer roared, smashing the Hyperion down on Chi's arm, causing her to grab it in pain.  
  
She materialized a drill on her left arm and stabbed at Seifer's head, and he grabbed it with both hands just in time, burning his gloves almost right off in the process.  
  
"Hold her off!" Jessica said as she began assembling a spare gun that appeared highly lethal even to someone like Chi.  
  
***  
  
Oren stared at Athena and gave a wicked smile, and again for one instant he didn't look like himself and his eyes flashed dangerously, but then he shook his head and was back to normal.  
  
He lay down in the snow and spread out.  
  
"Kill me if you must Athena!"  
  
Athena only sighed, and pulled out a second knife, aiming for both of his hearts.  
  
"Killing one by stabbing is usually only doable by stabbing the head, or both hearts at the same time . . . please reconsider. I will give you a good half a second before I connect"  
  
It was then that Oren remembered that many people were only in the world of the living because he was alive, and if he died . . . but it was too late. Athena brought down her blade with tremendous force.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: One more part to go before this chapter is done, and then the last. Prepare for and ending packed with gigantic events . . . not immediately, though, I must finish this chapter. How will this finally end? Not even I know. (Tell me through a review if you think you have a suggestion, all errors in this fic shall be corrected later) 


	27. Chapter 23: Psi Part III

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Three: Psi  
[Part Three]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
They have come so far, so close. Defeated so many of us, accomplished so much. Will this end? Psi's power is nearly unbeatable, our absolute final line of defense and vital to the protection of FT. BUT, will they somehow defeat him too? Bravo, wonderful fighters, bravo.  
  
She pulled the trigger of the assembled gun, but sadly, Chi dodged at just the right time and the same beam almost sent Seifer to heaven. Seifer flew back from the burst of hot air pressure to the right of him, and felt himself being dragged up, spun around, and dropped on his head, after which everything became blurred and his hearing wasn't quite right.  
  
In a few seconds he was stood up, turned around, and flipped over on his back. Then a quick pressure on his neck, and everything became white and hazy. Finally, a voice saying, "He's tougher than I thought", and then an impact on his stomach, and the world slowly became brighter and brighter, and he felt light.  
  
A figure that he could tell was Jessica descended upon him, and all he could mutter was:  
  
"Angel . . . "  
  
She touched his cheek and caressed it slightly, sighing a sad sigh.  
  
The next eight seconds were a blur, and he felt light again, the world around him becoming even brighter. In a flash he figured out what was happening, he was dying, and he was hanging between the world of the dead and the living.  
  
"Why isn't my life flashing before my eyes?" he asked in his mind.  
  
He saw himself riding a bike, his mother getting killed, admission to Balamb Garden, his first gunblade, and then Squall slashing him between the eyes, the smirking face of Sorceress Ultimecia . . .  
  
He felt even lighter than before and his vision was completely white, and for a second he thought he was dead.  
  
In a few seconds he heard someone yelling "clear", and then felt an electric shock. The world then came back into view.  
  
He couldn't move, but he could feel vibrations from blows being landed. Moments passed before he could move again and stood up, momentarily feeling a horrible throbbing pain in his head before he grabbed Hyperion and rejoined the fight, but noticed that Jessica was surprisingly handling herself quite well and at several times she came close to winning.  
  
Seifer was soon able to get back up and fight again, and Chi knocked him in the back of the head so hard that for five seconds he didn't know who he was, where he was, or what he was doing, and then Chi slipped passed Jessica's defenses again and sliced Seifer's stomach almost open, which soon healed.  
  
"I'm getting really tired of this." Seifer growled as he started glowing, feeling his liver, pancreas, intestines, and stomach reassemble and arrange.  
  
"Jessica! Long, slow blow!" Seifer begged her telepathically as he turned his blade flat, remembering Oren's words.  
  
Jessica reared back, exposing her abdomen completely, and Chi became careless and charged at full speed to get both of her hearts, giving Seifer just enough time to bash her on the forehead with the side of his blade, absolutely confident that the force would not be enough.  
  
However, Chi stumbled back as blood seeped from her forehead, and then moaned, falling face-first on the ground.  
  
Seifer laughed and dusted his hands.  
  
"That'll learn ya!"  
  
"Nice work, now we just have to take care of Phi" Jessica told, him, motioning towards the two Pi's."  
  
She launched into action and with Seifer by her side, along with the two Pis, Phi kicked into full action and launched attacks that went everywhere at once. The situation became similar to the first fight against Rho, the tangle of bodies around her were thrown off with a burst of energy.  
  
The advantage quickly shifted as Phi was outnumbered and growing tired.  
  
***  
  
Sephiroth wandered around the corridors aimlessly with Kuja by his side, equally bored. Eventually they came upon a small room tucked into a wall.  
  
"Uh, Sephiroth" Kuja said, touching a hand to his arm.  
  
"What?" he asked, not turning around.  
  
Kuja toed the metallic floor and looked up at the annoying bright lights.  
  
"My gut says that going in there would be a bad idea."  
  
"Since when do you listen to your gut?" Sephiroth asked, opening the door.  
  
When the door was opened, he gasped.  
  
Right in front of him he saw a tube full of liquid connected to smaller tubes. The central large tube said "96%" on it.  
  
"Ninety-six percent recovery" Sephiroth groaned.  
  
"What's the matter?" Kuja asked, walking from behind him into the plain room that was much larger than it had initially appeared.  
  
"Look who's in there."  
  
Inside the tube was Gamma, her hair flowing all around, most of the lower half of the tube opaque.  
  
"So she's ninety-six percent recovered, eh?" Kuja asked, as he looked around. When he turned to the right, the next the he saw scared the bejeezus out of him. He saw Alpha, inside a similar tube, much of his upper body exposed. Above his tube said "100%", and that meant that Alpha was 100 percent recovered. But, that wasn't' the scary thing. Alpha's eyes were wide open, unlike the sleeping Gamma, and he was staring at them vehemently.  
  
"You suck" he mouthed.  
  
Kuja smacked his cage.  
  
"Shut up in there"  
  
He looked down the line and saw Beta, Delta and Epsilon were 100% recovered inside their liquidated tubes, and were staring at them, not able to make a sound.  
  
"This is scaring the hell out of me." Kuja muttered.  
  
"They apparently can't do anything" Sephiroth said as he started taunting them.  
  
The computer said "Releasing in fifteen seconds".  
  
Beta got a gigantic smirk and began cracking his knuckles silently, and Sephiroth immediately slammed his sword through the computer that was attached to the wall, sending sparks and twisted metal flying every where and bouncing off the tubes, simultaneously shutting it down, and Epsilon snapped his fingers and started banging on the tube.  
  
"Now what!?" Kuja yelled at them.  
  
Delta was at 98, and Zeta was at 23 (he was hurt very badly).  
  
Sephiroth felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned around and saw Lambda.  
  
"Ahh!" he gave one of his rare screams.  
  
"Having fun? We found out that these guys were under Py . . . Allen's control the whole time, but they still don't like you."  
  
Gamma's tube beeped as it went to 100 percent and she woke up, saw Sephiroth, then Kuja, and then Lambda.  
  
Of course, she only knew Lambda so she started requesting that he let her out silently, but of course Lambda decided to ignore her.  
  
"Just leave them in there for now" Lambda said, walking off.  
  
"Weren't the rest of you Alphabet Warriors going to negotiate with Allen?" Kuja asked.  
  
"You think that that maniac can be negotiated with? We can't even find him, and even if we could he'd probably kill us."  
  
Sephiroth sheathed his sword and turned around.  
  
"I'm pretty tired of all this. When will this finally end?"  
  
Lambda scratched his head.  
  
"Allow us to join you, you will certainly need all the help you can get. This will all end very, very soon."  
***  
  
Oren grabbed the daggers and pushed them up until his face was level with Athena.  
  
"Stop . . . this madness!" he said as he pushed her back.  
  
"If you don't stop making attempts on my life, Athena, I will kill you! Many people are connected to my survival."  
  
Athena didn't listen and stabbed like a madwoman.  
  
Rho came about from unconsciousness but was immobilized.  
  
"Her life is connected to Fantasy Thunder! You cannot destroy it until she is dead!" she yelled.  
  
Oren stopped and started dodging the strikes.  
  
"So that's why . . . Athena! I will not kill you!"  
  
She stopped and turned to Zidane who was poised in attack mode, against the unmoving Upsilon.  
  
Oren felt the same horrible feeling when Iota was about to kill Jessica, and knew what he was about to do.  
  
"Do it if you want him to live!" Athena aimed the knives carefully.  
  
Time almost slowed down, and Oren turned a full turn, brought up his right leg and kicked it into her head in a way that made it snap back from the force, and then he used his blade to stab one heart, all the way through.  
  
It was quite sickening; a piece of her heart was on his blade, still pumping. Then, he swallowed his pride and jammed his hand through her lower heart, and she became pale and fell over.  
  
"Thank you . . ., " she muttered.  
  
Oren pulled out another piece of her heart and shook it off. The he looked at the blade, appalled.  
  
"I have done it again . . . "  
  
Her body whitened and materialized.  
  
"Don't freak out on us again!" Tidus warned as he prepared to attack Upsilon.  
  
Oren started shaking all over.  
  
Rho started to get up.  
  
"You . . . you aren't yourself."  
  
Oren's body convulsed and he stared at her with evil eyes.  
  
"True, true. But you won't live long enough to-"  
  
He convulsed again and grabbed his head.  
  
"What's happening to me!? I'm going . . . " he powered up.  
  
"CRAZY!" he yelled as he blasted off into the sky.  
  
***  
  
Squall and Cloud tried as hard as they could not to hit each other as they fought a constantly weakening Tau, who performed maneuvers so complex it was obvious why it was better her hair was short.  
  
"I have never seen better swordsmen in all of my thirty-three years!" she complimented telepathically.  
  
Cloud turned over in space, loosing sense of up and down and brought his blade down with incredible force, as Squall aided him with Lionheart. It was of course very hard to maneuver in zero gravity, which showed off Tau's power even more.  
  
Cloud and Squall doubled back for another attack, and Tau swiftly kicked Squall in the stomach and sent him floating for, temporarily immobilized.  
  
She grabbed the head of Cloud and before he could move she started to read his mind and he felt weak.  
  
Tau smiled at him, revealing that she had grown to the red-eye sharp toothed transformation similar to Rho.  
  
"Tifa is ignoring you. She thinks you favor Aeris and are not telling her . . . " she warned him telepathically as she threw him off, forgetting about Squall who came back at her but was struck down again.  
  
Cloud lost will to fight when he thought about how Tifa probably felt about him now . . . was she even with him during those final moments . . . ?  
  
A blue streak came from nowhere and knocked Tau down through the atmosphere.  
  
It had happened so fast that Cloud doubted that was real. He looked at Squall, and the two nodded and flew down after the streak.  
  
In a matter of seconds they were on the ground again and could see Oren pounding the living daylights out of Tau as if possessed, even though she lost consciousness before hitting the ground.  
  
After crunching her body down on Rho, which stole her consciousness, he flipped her over his shoulder and dropped her.  
  
Tidus saw what Oren had down to Tau, and he was now breathing heavily and seemed to be crying.  
  
Zidane hoped that the fight would end soon, but Upsilon ducked and the scene shifted, except Cloud, Squall, and Oren seemed to disappear to the point that Zidane and Tidus were alone. The snow disappeared, the sky was replaced with the interior of a building, and a sound like distant thunder could be heard. When the shifting stopped, they were in an abandoned building, the place was dusty and hollowed out with no doors, and the spooky night air filled the entire place. A heavy wind blew through the empty steel exterior, and lighting illuminated the outside, and Upsilon was visible charging.  
  
"Damn! I can't see!" Tidus yelled as he just barely dodged.  
  
"Use Zatach power or something! I think they can see in the dark!" Zidane yelled, jumping over three knives.  
  
Tidus could suddenly see everything as if through night goggles, and Upsilon charged them recklessly.  
  
The two charged and countered with their weapons in a series of graceful flips, turns, parries, and slashes. The two together made and impressive team.  
  
Upsilon, however was simply too fast and kept coming back and attacking, and his fighting even resembled that of Omicron.  
  
Suddenly, a hand came from nowhere and Oren appeared, grabbing him by the throat and tossing him like a rag doll, and the scene shifted back into the snow.  
  
"Athena . . . "  
  
Oren stumbled back and forth, not caring about anything anymore. Tau, Upsilon, and Rho lay in jumbled heaps, the fight ended anticlimactically before it had even began.  
  
***  
  
With a mighty thrust, Pi number one smashed her palm into the back of Phi's neck just as she turned, and she shook, then fell.  
  
The annoying lights came on and became brighter, and a sound like thunder could be heard.  
  
***  
  
Oren sat on the ground, Squall, Cloud, Zidane, and Tidus walking over to him. In a few seconds, FT wore off and they were all back in the interior of the ship, where Phi and Chi lay on the ground.  
  
"Hey . . . " Seifer waved up his gunblade.  
  
Jessica stood up from her sitting position and let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"I'm glad you all are okay . . . "  
  
Rho, Tau, and Upsilon landed in a heap, and Oren still looked absolutely miserable.  
  
Pi number one and two quickly tensed, and then a figure floated from above as the doors to the previous corridor opened up, and surprisingly no one was there anymore.  
  
"Bravo, fighters, bravo" Allen said, laughing as he descended.  
  
"Now you only have to worry about Psi"  
  
Pi number two launched herself at Allen, who just dodged to the left and disappeared.  
  
"Damn . . . " Oren muttered, walking off.  
  
"What?" Seifer asked him.  
  
"Just . . . damn. I . . . never mind. Let's get the hell outta here, Psi will be here in only a few seconds."  
  
Everyone except for Oren and Seifer looked alarmed.  
  
"What's so bad about that?" Seifer asked.  
  
"Psi can kill us in a second with a beam that he lets out of his body . . . in here his powers should be suppressed . . . "  
  
A sound like thunder, and then everyone in the room felt that they could no longer do anything even remotely advanced, including flying or speed maneuvers.  
  
"How did you know?" asked Jessica.  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Come clean already!" Zidane threw his hands up, frustrated.  
  
"Psi is now only capable of spreading the death beam a hundred meters, but we still must keep our distance, come!" Oren started limping, and then running off with the others following him.  
  
"Stop!" a voice yelled.  
  
Not all of them stopped, but they did after a few seconds and looked back. Coming through the corridor was the small, nerdy, Farfy McDouglas.  
  
"Stop!" he yelled, straightening his glasses and pointing after them.  
  
"Who the hell is that?" Zidane asked.  
  
"He was an assistant to Pyros, not much of a threat." Oren stated, turning around.  
  
"Hold on!" Farfy yelled again, and this time his voice sounded deep and mean.  
  
He took of his shirt to reveal he was a very skinny youth.  
  
"What is this?" Oren asked, not sounding amused.  
  
He yelled, and a six-pack and pectoral muscles appeared on his body, and then an increase in his biceps, triceps, and deltoids.  
  
He sprouted to a frightening height of seven feet, and his eyes became pure black. He shed his glasses, and revealed a very tough and frightening looking person.  
  
Oren still wasn't intimidated, but then he started glowing purple.  
  
"Damn . . . it's Psi! Run for your lives!"  
  
It took a few seconds for that to sink in, and then everybody just ran, all Zatach power suppressed.  
  
"I'll give you a hint!" yelled Psi in his deep voice.  
  
"You are very close to destroying Fantasy Thunder for good!"  
  
So they ran, fast. And, the purple beam followed them, appearing every once in a while and threatening to decimate them.  
  
Up ahead, Oren could see something looming. It was beautiful, a large pure white structure. The actual look of it is impossible to describe, but it had elegant cannons and a figurehead of a beautiful woman, as well as a chamber of black surrounding it that made it stand out. The group was headed straight for that chamber.  
  
It looked wonderful, beautiful, like a helper, a friend. But in reality, it was an antagonist. With the power it had, that thing was absolutely appalling and disgusting. That was Fantasy Thunder, and it would soon be at full power, and have enough of it to destroy existence itself. And at that moment the large group of fighters inside the ship held the fate of the universe in their hands. It was fate's turn to play a piece. Fantasy Thunder ahead, the last enemy behind.  
  
The endgames had begun, things were coming to a close end. Who would actually win, though? All that was certain was, something big was going to happen, and the victor would soon be determined.  
  
Fantasy Thunder holds a lot more than you know.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: First I must apologize, this chapter was short and uneventful, but the final chapter, Omega, will involve at least three parts, and the resolution will come around. I won't tell you much, but this ending is going to be eventful, unexpected, surprising, and final. In a word, Fantasy. (Stay "tuned" for my final chapter, and if it seems proper, review.) Also, I have finally posted chapter one of "The Trinity", which is the narration of Braska's pilgrimage with Auron and Jecht from FFX. Also, for Kingdom Hearts fans, don't forget my fics "Crowned Hearts" (complete) and the newly added sequel to it, "The Adventures of Riku and Sora". Call me a crummy advertiser, but oh well. 


	28. Chapter 24: Omega Part I

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Four: Omega  
[Part One]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
My strength and patience grow thin . . . it is time for my intervention  
  
The two Pi's looked up, and around.  
  
"We must return to the ship!" Pi number one yelled over the increasing noise.  
  
"Why?" Oren yelled back.  
  
"Getting too close to Fantasy Thunder may kill us!" number two responded as they both blasted upwards, somehow unaffected by the machines temporary limit on their power, and tore holes through the ceilings.  
  
The antagonist was very close, a few meters now. Fantasy Thunder.  
  
Jessica shoved Seifer slightly as he ran.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I am the only one here along with Oren that knows this, and he wouldn't be happy about this, but you can stimulate Fantasy Thunder with thoughts. Think of what you want to happen, and it will react!"  
  
"Why hasn't Allen done that?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Just try!"  
  
Seifer concentrated on the first type of world that came to mind.  
  
Of course he didn't expect it, but a sound like distant thunder echoed and then the picture swirled into nothingness, and then even more nothingness. It looked like Ultimecia's little world, just white and some invisible ground. Seifer found he was the only one there.  
  
He looked around.  
  
" . . . Oren?"  
  
Oren appeared out of nowhere and landed flat on his face.  
  
"What did you do?" he asked in a muffled voice, his face on the ground.  
  
"I operated Fantasy Thunder."  
  
He stood up and looked at Seifer sharply.  
  
"Do you know the seriousness of that? We are now the only ones in existence, and our only option is to go back to the real world."  
  
" . . . Now can I just picture a world where everything is solved?"  
  
"FT would have to recreate the entire universe and every other universe, and it doesn't have that power yet, our only option is to return to the real world itself. You now have god-like power . . . "  
  
"How about a cheeseburger?"  
  
A cheeseburger appeared out of nowhere in Seifer's hand.  
  
"Screw that! Extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra LARGE!"  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"It didn't work?" Seifer asked Oren.  
  
A cheeseburger the size of New Hampshire dropped directly on the two, burying them in ground beef and a pickle the size of Lancaster.  
  
"Forget that!"  
  
The burger disappeared.  
  
"Quit playin' around!" Oren yelled, dusting off the meat from his sleeves.  
  
"Stop bein' such a kid!"  
  
Oren shrunk to the age of five years old, and his outfit was far too big, and he looked up at him in annoyance.  
  
"Seifer . . . " he said in a cute little voice.  
  
"Sorry"  
  
Oren went back to normal and appeared a little bigger with facial hair and wrinkles near his eyes.  
  
"Seifer, I think you messed up."  
  
"What, aren't you forty-two?"  
  
"I'm nineteen! Now change me back!"  
  
He complied and started chuckling.  
  
"That was fun."  
  
"Sure, but while we're here nothing is being done, so why don't you just take us back?"  
  
" . . . do you think that I can change small things?"  
  
"In what?"  
  
"In where we just came from"  
  
"It couldn't hurt to try . . . "  
  
"I want to disable that thing that Psi keeps doing."  
  
"Judging by FT's current power, that will probably only work for a little while, so we'd better hurry"  
  
Seifer nodded and imagined, and in a flash they were back to the moment they had left, Jessica still looking at him expectantly.  
  
"Have you done anything yet?"  
  
He noticed not a moment had passed.  
  
"I hope this works."  
  
Seifer dropped back and ran directly to Psi, and Oren followed him, the remaining looking back at them in a panic.  
  
Psi's muscles pulsed as he tried to obliterate them, but nothing happened.  
  
"Let's kick his ass!" Seifer took out Hyperion and lurched forward, but then Psi disappeared into a purple glow and went SEEMINGLY nowhere.  
  
The small group of people stopped in their tracks, and Seifer stood completely still with his back to everyone else.  
  
"Where did he go?" Jessica walked up behind him, and he didn't respond.  
  
"Seifer?"  
  
He twirled around, dropping his gunblade completely and grabbed her neck, making a loud crack, and then started increasing the pressure, immediately causing her face to flash red and then turn purple.  
  
"What the hell?!" Oren materialized his blade and rushed over, but soon after Seifer dropped her and Jessica butted her head right into his stomach, and then they both lay still on the ground before getting back up.  
  
"What just happened?" Oren and a few others that had walked up looked at the two bodies on the ground, before they both got up and started breathing heavily.  
  
"Jessica, what was that? The last thing I remember you walk behind me and then I find you buried in my stomach!"  
  
"I only remember you almost strangling me to death!" she looked at him vehemently and then broke into a fit of coughs.  
  
"I would never hurt you."  
  
Jessica stopped coughing and kicked Seifer's kneecap, and then Seifer grabbed her ponytail and yanked it, causing her to cry out.  
  
"You did it again!" they both yelled.  
  
"What in the world . . .?" Cloud didn't know whom to stop, as they were both going crazy.  
  
Then, Squall tapped on his shoulder, he turned around, and a fist connected with his nose, after which he screamed and went to the ground yelling explicit curses.  
  
Squall shook his head like he didn't know what was happening, and then Cloud bashed him into the ground, after which Oren literally kicked Cloud's ass, knocking him into the wall.  
  
Oren looked disoriented, and then yelled a warning.  
  
"It's one of Psi's powers! He's possessing us! He can only do one at a time!"  
  
Everyone put away any weapon.  
  
"Throwing your weapons somewhere might be a good idea . . . " Zidane suggested, after which they complied.  
  
Oren looked left and right.  
  
"Psi isn't in physical form, one of us is possessed, it could be any of us . . . "  
  
"It's probably you, I can't believe you kicked me there!"  
  
"At least it wasn't in the balls."  
  
Zidane suddenly flew up and kicked at Tidus, and had his reflexes not assisted, he would have been kicked square in the groin, but was only caught at the side of the hip.  
  
Squall was then possessed and dropped kicked Zidane, who was then possessed, grabbed Squall's nose, and then slammed the other hand down, making Squall grab his nose in agony.  
  
"This has to stop!" he yelled, clutching his nose.  
  
"I think you dislocated my hip!" Zidane rotated it in pain.  
  
"I think YOU dislocated MY hip!" Tidus yelled over, rotating his own midsection.  
  
Cloud grabbed Jessica by her neck, and stabbed her eye with a spike of his hair, and then Jessica grabbed Cloud, picked him clear above the ground, and slammed him down upon Seifer.  
  
For about five minutes the group was possessed over and over, beating each other senseless, until finally Oren right-splits kicked Seifer just as he was possessed, and Psi was momentarily visible, then he disappeared.  
  
"It could still be anyone . . . " Cloud panted, whose eyes were glowing purple . . .  
  
"Cloud's possessed!" Squall warned, the jumped for Cloud, who was then tackled. Psi then possessed Oren, and everyone got off of Cloud. Oren was evidently possessed due to the purple glow.  
  
"Hey! Cloud's still possessed!" Zidane yelled, pointing at Cloud's mako eyes.  
  
"It's just an effect of the-" BOOM! Zidane tackled Cloud to the ground, and Oren told him to calm down.  
  
"Oren's possessed! Look at that blue glow in the eyes!" yelled Zidane, about to tackle Oren.  
  
"Cheese off, it's just-" BOOM! Oren was tackled into the ground.  
  
"Hey! Jessica's hair is white! She's possessed!"  
  
She growled at him, and just then everyone noticed Zidane's purple eyes, and proceeded to tackle the hell out of him, until Psi jumped into Seifer, and put a translucent purple barrier trapping him in a "compartment" with Jessica, shutting anyone else.  
  
"Enough playing! I will kill you off one by one!"  
  
Seifer temporarily regained control of his body.  
  
"Fight me, Jessica, he wants to-" he lost control and "Psifer" began to corner her.  
  
"I'll fight you if I must" she moved into fighting position.  
  
"This body is stronger!" Psifer must have hit some Zatach pressure point, because after one blow she couldn't move, and Psifer began strangling her as quickly as he could, but it was taking some time.  
  
Oren pounded his fist on the wall and started cursing, which wasn't helping, until finally he looked down and made a signal, and Jessica's air deprived face looked exasperated.  
  
From her position on the ground, she crunched her foot into the rest of her body, and released it, burying it with staggering force into Psifer's groin.  
  
For a few seconds, everything was absolutely silent, and then Psifer let out a bellowing scream that was heard on the far corners of the ship, released Jessica, and shrunk to his knees.  
  
***  
  
Allen continued to finish Fantasy Thunder, and heard a bellowing scream.  
  
***  
  
Nida sat in the piloting seat, and heard a bellowing scream.  
  
***  
  
On Gaia, a man was on his paper route around Alexandria Castle, and then heard a bellowing scream.  
  
***  
  
Psi burst out of Seifer, and both were on the ground in a fetal position, clutching their nuts, their faces red, the barrier disappearing. Every male's face in the vicinity twisted, as they could practically feel Seifer's pain, and Jessica looked down with a look of sorrow at Seifer.  
  
"Y-you did what you had to do" muttered Seifer as he continued moaning and groaning. Jessica leaned down and massaged his back.  
  
"I'm so sorry, my life was in danger. How long does this affect someone?" she looked at everyone else.  
  
"Seifer and Psi will probably be in pain for a few hours . . . " Oren predicted, and then he pointed down the hallway.  
  
"Fantasy Thunder is just that way. Lets go. Seifer, you rest a while." Oren beamed Psi in the head and knocked him out, and he still lay in the fetal position.  
  
As the group made their way down to Fantasy Thunder, everyone walked a good distance from Jessica, and she looked to her right.  
  
"Explanation?"  
  
They were mostly silent.  
  
"We're afraid you'll kick our crotches in" Zidane blabbed, causing Tidus to elbow him in ribs.  
  
"How exactly do we plan on destroying Fantasy Thunder?" Oren wondered aloud.  
  
Everyone paused to look at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We thought you knew" Squall said slowly.  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"I just heard about this like you all, I'm not some super expert. I know a few details from having-never mind."  
  
"What is it you're hiding? You might as well tell us." Cloud said quickly and with the slightest bit of agitation as he started walking again.  
  
"What I'm hiding is just a theory of what is inside, and it's too dangerous to let any of you in on it."  
  
"Listen." Zidane snapped, halting them.  
  
It wasn't easy for any of the non-Genomes (which would be everyone save Zidane) to hear, but soon it was clear. It was the sound of someone typing in the distance.  
  
"Pick up the pace!" Oren commanded, breaking into a full-out sprint back to Fantasy Thunder.  
  
In the distance, although absent before, Allen was sitting at a desk with his back to the group, typing away at a monitor.  
  
"You're too late!" he yelled, without even turning to face them.  
  
"Fantasy Thunder is fully operational . . . " His finger hovered over the enter key just as everyone made it to the back-center of the huge opening.  
  
"Now!" he slammed his finger down on the key, and a computerized voice said:  
  
"ACCESS DENIED"  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
Allen typed furiously, and pushed the enter key again.  
  
"ACCESS DENIED"  
  
"Aaaarrgggh!"  
  
"ACCESS DENIED"  
  
"This isn't right!"  
  
"ACCESS DENIED"  
  
Oren tapped his shoulder, and when he turned around, he pointed to his other shoulder, and when he looked at his other shoulder he was knocked out of the chair.  
  
"Let's just take care of this . . . "  
  
"No you oaf!"  
  
"ACCESS GRANTED"  
  
"Don't touch that monitor!"  
  
Oren slammed his fist into the computer, pulled out random wires, and, needless to say, the computer performed a non-system shut down.  
  
"You and your loser friends will regret this!" Allen yelled, screaming and pounding the ground in anger. He looked up at Oren and smiled.  
  
"You, my little link, will be the downfall of everything."  
  
He reached for him but made no attempt to actually grab, and a light flashed in the middle of Oren's chest.  
  
"You only have twenty-three minutes, little boy!"  
  
"What? Until I die?"  
  
"Something much worse. Now just try and run!"  
  
A rock flew from nowhere and hit Allen in the side of the head, and he fell to the floor.  
  
"I was getting tired of hearing his voice." Seifer walked in Clint Eastwood- style, slinging his gunblade over his shoulder, and Jessica was relieved.  
  
"I'm glad you're okay."  
  
"Too bad I can't say the same for Psi, he's still convulsing. You kick hard woman!"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Our job is done, lets get out of here!"  
  
Oren was the first to turn and walk off, back to the direction of everyone else. Fantasy Thunder was no longer a problem.  
  
***  
  
Tifa was practically sweating blood, there was a good chance Cloud was dead by now, all worries relieved when she saw his spiky ass walking down the hallway.  
  
"Cloud!" she tackled him to the ground, not caring weather or not she could or would avoid the deadly spikes on his head.  
  
"I'm glad to see you, too" he said, shifting his weight as not to harm the small injury on his abdomen.  
  
He stood up with her and grabbed her firmly but gently by the shoulders.  
  
"I love you"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm sure you heard me."  
  
"But I thought . . . ?"  
  
The mix-up had never occurred to her, but whatever it had been, Cloud was alive, and nothing else mattered.  
  
"Let's get out of here before any Allen's loyalists decide to show up" Oren said, arriving next out of the opening, and Barret was the first to stop him.  
  
"The hell happened!?"  
  
"Not important. We did what we came here to do, the world is at rest, mission accomplished, etc, lets go home, I'm sure you're as sick as I am of all this."  
  
Yuna wrapped her arms around Tidus' neck as he sighed a content sigh.  
  
"What happened?" she asked him.  
  
"A long story. We won, which is all that matters."  
  
Reunions relieved a situation that could have been bad, and the previously locked doors opened to the main exit. A few minutes later, anyone that had wandered off returned, and Quina woke up from a contented, drooly, and disgusting sleep.  
  
Oren made sure to stay in the back.  
  
"Many of us came close to death on this ridiculous escapade, and because of that enjoy your lives. Marry that special someone, start a family, make a bigger family, do what you've always wanted to do. Be happy to be alive, nobody wants to die."  
  
Esthar Garden was in cheers, the exhausted officers at the command station could finally get some sleep as the ship prepared to autopilot back to the planet it came from.  
  
Oren stood at the edge of the command center, staring out of the windows, something bothering him. He picked up the intercommunication speaker and announced with pride:  
  
"We have fought a great battle, and won. Congratulations. But, much thanks goes to our pilot, Nida. Give him a good cheer." The place erupted.  
  
Nida waved his hand as he pushed more buttons to initiate the autopilot.  
  
Oren convulsed slightly and grabbed Nida around his throat; they were the only two on the ship.  
  
"We can't leave just yet" he said.  
  
Hapless Nida was thrown into the interior glass and landed outside of it on the metallic lining beyond the two exterior shells.  
  
"Anyone that was with on that 'expedition' to Fantasy Thunder, present yourselves at the bridge. Come even if you WEREN'T there, this is something I want you all to see!"  
  
It is interesting to note that exactly twenty-three minutes had passed since communications with Allen.  
  
Squall was the first to arrive, and was panicked to see Nida lying motionless.  
  
"What happened here?"  
  
"The same thing that will happen to you!"  
  
"Oren?"  
  
Squall landed next to Nida meeting a similar fate, but was still moving slightly.  
  
"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"  
  
"You could say that"  
  
Squall jerked in surprise, that wasn't Oren's voice at all.  
  
Later the few others that had been present arrived in time to see an incapacitated Squall and Nida.  
  
"What happened?" Seifer asked, rubbing his neck as he had always done when nervous.  
  
"If anyone is ever going to beat up puberty-boy, it's going to be me, but I guess Nida beat me to it and it was a double knockout."  
  
Tidus looked at him with skepticism.  
  
"That's the most boneheaded conclusion I've ever heard."  
  
Oren walked down the center until he was face to face with Jessica and stared her straight in the eye.  
  
"This isn't over, sister."  
  
Nothing in the universe was visible for a second, and then when sight returned Oren opened the airlock and flew into the main exit to the ship they had just returned from, and started running at an impossibly fast speed.  
  
"You okay?" Seifer asked, putting a hand on Jessica's shoulder.  
  
"No . . . " she fell to the ground, and blood started seeping out from under.  
  
"Oren!? Where is that bastard!? What did he do!?"  
  
Seifer was torn between the choices of helping the one he loved, or pursuing his new worst enemy.  
  
He picked her up and charged through the back, others still frozen from shock. He noticed an incision right where her heart was, and his hopes fell, then he noticed there was no second incision.  
  
"Two hearts" he said to himself.  
  
He flew through the glass, over the balcony, and almost went through the wall to the infirmary and over the students, directly into the emergency room.  
  
***  
  
"Go after him!" Cloud yelled, going through the hole "Oren" had made.  
  
"Why?" Squall asked, starting to chase him.  
  
"He stabbed her! I don't think he's going to let us live if he can help it, and I have a feeling he can!"  
  
"That wasn't Oren!" Zidane yelled, chasing the two of them down with Tidus.  
  
"The voice was wrong, his eyes weren't glowing, that wasn't him!"  
  
"It sure as hell looked like him!" Cloud yelled back as the four began running on the walls and then the ceiling to save time.  
  
"I hope whoever that was didn't kill Jessica then, Seifer's gonna lose it!" Squall yelled back to Zidane as he jumped over the clearing in the large room where a previous fight had taken place.  
  
"You guys hear that!" Zidane yelled. It took a while for the other to hear him, as they were approaching the sound barrier, moving at about 660 mph.  
  
"I know that sound!" Squall yelled in response.  
  
It was the familiar sound of an approaching sonic boom.  
  
Within the second Seifer had passed them completely and had left the horrible rumble and destruction of the tiling lining the floor, exposing wires below.  
  
"Speed up!" Squall suggested to the other three.  
  
Their speed increased and as they crossed the sound barrier everything became completely silent, and they began to tear up the tiling and lining of the floor and ceiling, completely destroying the entire corridor as they blazed passed.  
  
Moving so quickly, they eventually caught up to Seifer, and as the end of the corridor approached then they slowed down passed 750 mph and the loud sounds of their own sonic booms came rushing back into their ears, and quickly ceased completely.  
  
The stop involved the five of them digging their heels into the tiling, tearing holes over six feet deep that they eventually had to jump out of.  
  
"Oren" was standing at the corner that led to another corridor on the right, yawning.  
  
"Catch me if you can"  
  
He sped down the new corridor, and Seifer was the first to let out a loud growl and followed him.  
  
***  
  
Soon, Seifer and "Oren" were face to face running at a horribly fast rate down the miles of corridors.  
  
"Don't you run away from me!"  
  
"I'm not running." He grabbed Seifer and balanced him for a few seconds while still running on one foot, then launched him into the air, a very non- Oren type move.  
  
Seifer rolled at hundreds of mph and jumped back up, chasing him with more determination than ever.  
  
"Why'd you do that Oren?"  
  
"You were getting on my nerves"  
  
"I'm talking about HER you bastard!"  
  
"Oh, her . . . I wanted everyone to see. Someone so full of strength fall easily by me."  
  
"BUT WHY HER? Couldn't you have just stabbed me?"  
  
"She's my sister, she gets special privileges."  
  
"Omega was her brother!"  
  
"Your point?"  
  
"Oren" accelerated even further and almost literally made Seifer eat his dust, but Seifer pushed his body to the limit and accelerated to his maximum speed, 3903.34 mph, the water in his eyes flying out, his skin being peeled back, at speeds that a Zatach could barely withstand.  
  
Soon, they both slowed down and stopped right in front of the same place where Oren had "shut down" Fantasy Thunder, and Allen was standing where his desk had been, laughing.  
  
"Do you like my friend?" he asked, as "Oren" strode over.  
  
"He was Omega this whole time, wasn't he?" Seifer asked, summoning every nerve ending in his body to produce sound from his exhausted lungs.  
  
Allen made the universal "almost there" sign, and said:  
  
"Close, but not quite."  
  
"Oren" turned to Seifer.  
  
"It will only be a few minutes, my power alone will give Fantasy Thunder enough power to wipe out anything in this universe that Allen and I don't see fit, and that would be most things!"  
  
"What's going on? What are the two of you talking about?"  
  
Cloud, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus arrived at just that moment, weapons drawn.  
  
Allen shook his head in pity.  
  
"Fantasy Thunder can still be used to some extent."  
  
The normal topography disappeared and soon there was only nothingness, and then a black void, an indescribable void of blackness with a barely visible ground.  
  
"What are you? Who is Allen?" Seifer asked, pointing directly at Allen..  
  
"You want to know who I am? It's not who I am, its what I am. Omega, make sure Oren no longer interferes."  
  
So it was clear that there were two different people.  
  
"As you wish."  
  
"You five just wait there. I'll deal with you soon enough."  
  
He tossed "Oren" two swords and materialized one for himself.  
  
The blackness lit up, and Oren's body convulsed as if two people were fighting over it, and then, split into two. Walking freely towards Allen's side was Omega himself, who looked strikingly like Oren but not at all at the same time. Long black hair falling on and behind his shoulders, Oren's outfit, and surprisingly bright eyes for a figure of his caliber, were his features. Then behind him, clutching his own throat, was the actual Oren, eyes wide and coughing violently as if the wind had been forced out from his lungs.  
  
"You-you were alive the whole time!"  
  
Oren was ignored.  
  
"All this time I had been pursued and on the verge of death and you were alive!"  
  
Nothing made sense anymore.  
  
"Nothing makes sense anymore!" he yelled.  
  
"Oren, just so you know, he stabbed Jessica, right in the heart." Seifer informed grimly.  
  
The look on his face turned from confusion to surprise, to horror, then anger.  
  
"Quiet! You're too weak to fight! You'll be dead soon enough."  
  
"Omega . . . " Oren was ignored again.  
  
Allen patted Omega's shoulder.  
  
"Omega, let's--"  
  
"Stop!" Oren yelled, this time getting everyone's attention.  
  
He stood up, and his eyes glowed blue again.  
  
"I may not have your power . . . "  
  
Blue energy gathered in the palm of his right hand.  
  
"But I still have my honor!"  
  
He released the balled fist and flew the twelve feet remaining, connecting with the middle of Omega's face, and they both disappeared in a flash.  
  
***  
  
Omega and Oren rolled for a good twelve miles in a few seconds, and they both bolted upright.  
  
"Punching me into another dimension, Oren. What a plan, but another dimension won't hold up long. You still aren't a match for me."  
  
"If I had a nickel for every time I heard that . . . "  
  
"I'm serious this time."  
  
"Maybe so, but I believe it was me who punched you here."  
  
" . . . Nothing personal, you know. But Fantasy Thunder must be used."  
  
"What is possessing you to erase so much of this universe? What? Answer me!"  
  
"Don't raise your voice, anger never got me anywhere."  
  
Oren cracked his neck.  
  
"Sure . . . "  
  
He materialized the blue Altron blade.  
  
"But unlike you . . . "  
  
He did a warm up punch.  
  
"I fight better when I'm mad."  
  
The following events would have lasted hours, but due to Zatach speed, took up a total of 8.349 (rounded) seconds.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: The first part of the last three-part chapter. I know it's been almost a month since I updated, but now we're closer than ever to the end. (Tell your friends, recommend my fics, whatever, I need reviews) 


	29. Chapter 24: Omega Part II

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Four: Omega  
[Part II]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
Seifer summoned the last of his strength to jump through the flash created by Omega's hurling body, and then disappeared as well.  
  
Allen spun his two swords.  
  
"Come on, all at once!"  
  
"What the hell are you up to?" Zidane asked, charging forward in the front line.  
  
All at once Allen started dodging, ducking, jumping, and somehow avoiding the jungle of blades with ease, without even breaking a sweat.  
  
"Let's make this quick." Allen took one blade and stabbed it straight through the heart of Zidane, not enough to kill him.  
  
He took the other sword and rammed it through his head, shook him around while dodging the blades and ignoring the gasps, and just like that, threw the lifeless body to the ground.  
  
"Do not defy me!" The three tried to keep Zidane out of their mind, pretending he was fine as they blocked out any thought but defeating the destroyer.  
  
Allen yelled and knocked back Cloud and Squall, and then both blades through Tidus, after which he started shaking around on them.  
  
"Stop struggling!"  
  
He launched him back.  
  
The holes in Tidus slowly disappeared as he came back up and helped his other two friends. In a moment, Zidane sprung back up in a Ukemi fashion and felt his head.  
  
"Good ol' Genome healing!"  
  
The fight dragged on and Allen couldn't seem to get a clear thrust, and then for no reason the four against him flew back, turned blue, and started disappearing, and then were back to normal.  
  
"What was that?" Tidus asked nervously.  
  
Allen laughed.  
  
"That Oren character brought you here, correct? The link that he uses in his body to keep you here is apparently breaking, meaning he's being killed."  
  
***  
  
"You fool!"  
  
Oren just barely dodged one of Omega's thrusts.  
  
"Do you not realize that if you lose, many people will die, and even more will be sent back to where you brought them from!?" Omega taunted rather than warned.  
  
That was probably the single biggest mistake Omega had ever made in his life.  
  
Oren slashed fifteen times and seven of them hit Omega in various places of his midsection.  
  
Oren blasted Omega with all the energy he could summon, partially nullified by Omega's similar element, but enough to knock off his shirt and long coat.  
  
"You! What do you hope to accomplish!"  
  
"I could ask you same thing!"  
  
Oren was gaining the upper hand.  
  
"We had no chance! Why should anyone else! Being nowhere for so long lets you think, it all makes sense."  
  
"You're killing trillions, probably quadrillions!"  
  
"Don't tell me about quadrillions, MURASAKI!"  
  
Oren was thrown back by the yell.  
  
"It was 8,298,912,204 people that were just gone that day, and they never had a chance!"  
  
"What about the people YOU plan on destroying? You're so against death, it's what you're causing!"  
  
"Wiping one out of existence is not killing!"  
  
"It might as well be!"  
  
Three slashes, two clangs, and a parry ensued.  
  
"I don't need these!" Omega tossed away his swords, and Oren's blade lost power.  
  
"Man to man then, Omega!"  
  
***  
  
Allen thrust his sword forward and impaled all four at once, swung them around eighty times in a second, and then flung them off.  
  
"You're going nowhere fast! I don't know why my stabs haven't been killing you!"  
  
It clicked in the heads of the four. Allen didn't know they possessed Zatach ability, and as long as he didn't stab anyone other than Zidane in the head then they'd be fine.  
  
"Maybe you should see what is in for you!" Talkative Allen held out his hand and somehow Fantasy Thunder started to work.  
  
***  
  
Seifer landed in the middle of Omega and Oren just as Omega leaped forwards, and then he stopped in surprise.  
  
"Seifer!?"  
  
"Oren!?"  
  
It was at that moment that Fantasy Thunder started working again and Omega disappeared from view, and the only thing visible was blackness. A second later a small town folded into existence around them, and started to float away.  
  
Oren noticed he was being carried against his will with Seifer, Squall, Zidane, and Tidus. Cloud wasn't anywhere in sight.  
  
A young boy with spiky hair and a sword was running up the steps to none other than Sephiroth.  
  
"What is this? Is that Cloud?" Squall asked in shock.  
  
The four didn't even seem to exist in that world, and were just watching.  
  
*The previous events were of Cloud's previous memory, not the real thing, and all FFVII fans that remember the *real* scene probably know what I'm talking about* Sephiroth started stabbing out to Cloud, and got him through the shoulder.  
  
Cloud somehow lifted him up by the end of the blade, and threw him over railing and out of view.  
  
The scene switched to a town, Nibelheim, on fire, and a young Tifa looking down over her father.  
  
***  
  
The group reappeared over another town, except Squall was gone and Cloud was there.  
  
Esthar soldiers marched into a nearby house. The group floated above a circle.  
  
"Where are we?" Cloud asked.  
  
The circle was surrounded with houses, and the soldiers charged into a particularly small one.  
  
"Give us the girl!" There was a yell.  
  
"Leave us in peace!" A female voice yelled back.  
  
Machine gun bullets and two quick screams were heard.  
  
The two soldiers left muttering to themselves.  
  
Time accelerated and a young Laguna Loire crawled into the house in bandages and casts.  
  
"What? A little girl?" His voice was clear, even though he was twenty feet below them.  
  
Time accelerated, the group was over a hill at night.  
  
A woman, Raine, hugged Laguna long, but no one saw why. A tombstone and a child replaced the two, and then the infant became a toddler, and then a preteen, then a late teenager. The teenager was Squall.  
  
"Ah!" Everyone yelped in surprise.  
  
***  
  
The four appeared over a field outside of a large medieval city, which was Lindblum. Squall was back, and Zidane was gone.  
  
A small silvery pod lay on the ground, inside a small boy.  
  
"Who the . . . " Squall asked, looking down. A tail poked out of the covers.  
  
"Oh."  
  
A rather fat man walked over miles of hills, and picked it up.  
  
"Who . . . what's this kid doin' here?" he shrugged and walked back with a loud laugh.  
  
"Wait till I tell the boys about this! Charles Zidane II!"  
  
***  
  
As one could probably guess, Tidus was gone and replaced by Zidane.  
  
"What the heck's going on?" Seifer didn't recognize any of the scenes except for perhaps the Squall scene.  
  
A small boy was at the side of a futuristic building, and he kicked a blitzball, or at least attempted to. He missed and fell on his face, not wanting to get up. A man that looked like Jecht walked around from the other side of the building.  
  
"Face it kid, you suck at blitz, and you'll never be even a tenth of what your old man is!"  
  
" . . . I hate you"  
  
***  
  
Finally, Tidus had returned, but this time Oren was gone. The four landed intact inside a compartment. Outside of the small windows was the sight of nothing but space.  
  
The interior was empty, but one side was cluttered with junk and a television, and on the other side were three doors. They were on the inside of a spaceship, a rather small one at that.  
  
This time, they were all on the ground.  
  
"Now what?" Seifer poked the ground with a gunblade.  
  
He heard noises from the middle portal, and immediately went through the door that automatically opened. The rest followed him.  
  
A girl with white hair over the seat was desperately smashing buttons and pulling switches and levers on a panel, and the ship was quickly accelerating. The sounds of engines burst to life.  
  
The young girl was about twelve, and when Seifer put a hand on her shoulder it went directly through it.  
  
"Ah!"  
  
"This must be that clunky ship Oren was on with Jessica" Cloud mumbled as he walked through another door and was followed.  
  
A boy that was a bit taller and perhaps two or three years older was somehow holding six weights and slamming like there was no tomorrow. Although his skills were a bit inferior, he was obviously trying to get better.  
  
"Step on it Jess, we're going to get caught and killed!"  
  
"I'm working on it!" she yelled back. "If you hadn't killed my brother . . . "  
  
"I'm going to say this one more time! I did no such thing!"  
  
The ship accelerated. A blue streak went passed Oren and he fell to the ground, his muscles bulged out half an inch, and when he got up, his eyes glowed a mysterious blue . . .  
  
***  
  
Seifer was gone again, and it was just Oren and Omega facing off once more in the mini-dimension.  
  
"What a shame that you faced their bigotry for so long . . . "  
  
"All that matters is that I stop you now. You and Allen are crazy crazy CRAZY!"  
  
"Nothing should be allowed to survive if a species like us could not! We-"  
  
"I've heard this before!"  
  
The ridiculous fight ensued again, fist on fist, Zatach against Zatach, until it reached a point of meaninglessness. The eight seconds ended, and the two were thrust back into the proper dimension.  
  
Omega emerged next to Allen, and Oren next to his allies, and Allen still hadn't figured out their "little secret", and for that reason they couldn't lose just yet.  
  
"What are you?" Oren asked, pointing to Allen, but it was barely visible because of the darkness.  
  
"You wish to know what I am?"  
  
Allen turned to Omega.  
  
"You have served me well, but I have determined that even you are incompetent."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Fool! You forget your own logic?"  
  
Allen stabbed Omega in both hearts with his blades, and a look of utter shock was on his face.  
  
The man fell to the ground face down, and somehow Allen's swords were untainted.  
  
"This meaningless duel draws to a close, so why don't I just tell you? I am something invincible."  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Short chapter, I know, for such a long wait. Future updates will be a little faster, due to certain reasons. There are two parts left to this chapter, part four being the end. IMPORTANT I might want to make a follow- up to this fic in the event that some of you liked it, and I was considering a plan: I won't tell you much but a simple follow up will be more limited in scope, and have a feature called "create a Zatach". A small group of them arrive, and my ideas are drained out of my head. What I need is for people (I don't care how many, as long as it doesn't get too numerous) to submit their own Zatach for that fic. I'm still working on the idea, and details will be in the last chapter, but tell me if you have an idea. At the last chapter I'll say exactly what must be done for creation and addition, and I'll be accepting entries. (I don't care if its just one, I need additions) Lastly, a reviewer asked me long ago about their own crossover, and I apologize for forgetting all about it! Please e- mail me the details and I'll do what was requested of me for your story. Thank you for reviewing. 


	30. Chapter 24: Omega Part III

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Four: Omega  
  
[Part III]  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
"You fools wish to know so badly who or what I am. I am the planet Zata. I see the surprised look on your face, Oren, but it is true. I am the core, center, and energy of the planet itself."  
  
Oren laughed skeptically.  
  
"Didn't you explode into nothing?"  
  
"I'm not the entire planet, you fool. A large living chunk, taking the name of Allen. With Fantasy Thunder, my large ambitions will be fulfilled. Now tremble! It is at fifty percent power"  
  
Tidus raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You killed your partner, now you have to take on the six of us. Do you really think you'll make it?"  
  
"I'm the planet itself! My powers go beyond that of any Zatach. It doesn't matter how many people you've got! I could not survive, so neither will you or anyone else! If innocent ol' me met his untimely end for no just reason, that is the fate of all of you!!!"  
  
Allen held out his hand and a rumble shook the ship.  
  
Fantasy Thunder melted back into view and a cannon aimed up.  
  
"Do you know what is up there? Esthar Garden is docked.  
  
"But Esthar Garden was at the side of the ship!" Oren countered.  
  
"You fool, we have artificial gravity. We are standing sideways!"  
  
They all looked around as if expecting something.  
  
"You won't notice it, of course. Now, you have thirty minutes until Esthar Garden goes kablooey!"  
  
"They'll just drive it out after I give them the message! It will never work!"  
  
"Stupid Oren, Omega probably killed Nida. If he's still alive he won't be getting up for at least seven hours. Only he knows the code to take the ship out of park! You're all doomed! Furthermore, my ship doors are closed. If they try to exit, they'll be sucked into the blackness of space!"  
  
" . . . They'll use the escape pods."  
  
" . . . only three of them are operational due to the immense energy to stay parked, and the bay that they exit from is forced closed because it is in direct contact with my ship!"  
  
It slowly dawned on the six that all they cared about was back on the ship, and they began to look horrible.  
  
"I feel twisted sympathy, so I'll tell you what to do!"  
  
"Allen, don't be foolish!" Omega sputtered as he looked up.  
  
"You're still alive!?" Allen blasted him and Omega lay still.  
  
"Punk. Now listen up, because I'll probably only repeat this once. As you know, Oren brought quite a few people from the beyond."  
  
"That was nice of him" Cloud whispered, but was somehow heard by Omega.  
  
"He didn't do it to be nice. There's a damn good reason. The reason is because there are a number of them that work Fantasy Thunder with life energy. But, if they were using death energy . . . "  
  
"They wouldn't work at all" Oren finished.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Having Omega inside me gave me certain knowledge. I even feigned Galbadian Army rank insignias and predicted your attacks with it."  
  
Squall stared at Oren.  
  
"Did you only bring them from death because it would help us here?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"You . . . "  
  
"This is no time to be ripping my throat out, Leonhart! We have to hear what Allen is saying."  
  
"For them to summon death energy, someone they love or have strong affection for will have to be with them at that instant. There are just enough people to match the pods, strangely enough"  
  
"Why are you telling us this?" Oren asked, getting restless.  
  
"Because I honestly don't believe you can do it in enough time. You actually have eight minutes!"  
  
"What if it's a trap?" Cloud immediately questioned.  
  
Zidane turned to him.  
  
"Don't seem like we have much of a choice right now . . . "  
  
Oren touched his head with both hands, and started communicating with Esthar Garden. But first, he explained briefly.  
  
"I will be able to teleport the ones I brought from death, and the one person they hold as long as they have enough feelings for them, I suppose. From there, I'll give them directions through my mind."  
  
The blue glow somehow rekindled in his eyes.  
  
" Sephiroth!" he said aloud. No one else could hear the reply.  
  
"I don't have time for your smart-mouthing, Sephiroth. Now listen, I want you to grab someone you love. I know there aren't a lot but . . . what, you've done it? Good. Hold on."  
  
There was a short flash.  
  
"Good, hold on while I contact some others."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Braska, are you there? Grab Yuna, please. That's right. . . . what are you talking about? Fine, I'll wait! Think out to me when you find her!"  
  
" . . . Why's he talking to himself?" Tidus asked.  
  
Cloud's theory was only speculation . . .  
  
"He's apparently talking to someone, but we can't hear them"  
  
"Aeris, there's a reason you're still here. You being alive is important. As a matter of fact, a Cetra was ingenious."  
  
Allen laughed.  
  
"So that's why it's taking so long to crush Esthar Garden! There's a Cetra on board. You mean to tell me her life was here for this purpose? How amazing! How ingenious."  
  
Cloud looked despairingly at Oren.  
  
"You mean to tell me this was for planning purposes?"  
  
"Maybe. No, not you Aeris, find someone you love, or of great importance. They're what you need. What? Fine."  
  
Oren turned to Cloud.  
  
"Cloud, Aeris wants you. Go to the entrance point and wait for me to take her to you."  
  
Everyone stared at him as Cloud's cheeks turned bright red.  
  
" . . . Jecht, are you there. No, I don't have any . . . we don't have much time! Get someone of great importance! I don't care who!"  
  
Oren turned to Tidus.  
  
"You're wanted at the entrance, Tidus."  
  
He shrugged, and blasted off after Cloud who had just left.  
  
"Seymour? Dammit. He's sleeping. Wake up you ass! . . . Still sleeping . . . he's awake! Seymour . . . don't call me that, I'll wake you up when I want! Find someone important to you! Do I care? The answer is no! Just tell me when you have, or your ass and everyone else's will be blown to damn oblivion!"  
  
He was breathing heavily at this point.  
  
"Okay, Ult-Thuka if you insist. Grab Kiros. Yes Kiros, and hurry. Wait, you already have him . . . Stop! I don't want to know! Too much information! Stop talking!"  
  
There was a click as he teleported Jecht, Braska and Yuna, Kiros and Thuka, and Seymour, who must have found someone. He teleported Rikku the rest of the way through, and panted.  
  
"I'm tired . . ."  
  
"Five minutes and eighteen seconds left, the clock is ticking!" Allen said, filing his nails.  
  
"Auron! What, you're there what? Hold on."  
  
He turned to Allen.  
  
"Do people they really hate qualify?"  
  
Allen nodded.  
  
"Okay Auron, Seymour is fine, and vice versa. Now hold on. Everyone, you will arrive in an area full of pods. We don't have much time, so be ready! No questions! Okay, what you have to do is have some physical contact with they person you love . . . or hate. Anyhow, be in contact and touch the pod at the same time, you dead ones. The emotion will activate an effect that might stop Fantasy Thunder!"  
  
Allen laughed.  
  
"You have actually done it in the time limit! I can't believe it!"  
  
Oren twitched.  
  
"Thuka, a kiss does count as contact. I don't care how passionate. Stop describing!"  
  
He clutched his hands over his ears.  
  
"For the love of whatever god you worship! Stop describing! Too much damn information!"  
  
Allen looked amused.  
  
"Anyhow, I doubt that those bastards you called up have the power to stop Fantasy Thunder anyway."  
  
There was a loud click and a computerized female voice said:  
  
"SYSTEM SHUTDOWN. SELF DESTRUCT IN FIFTEEN MINUTES. HAVE A NICE DAY"  
  
Everyone's eyes got large. It wasn't determinable who started running first, but not even Allen could survive an explosion that huge.  
  
"Get the hell out of there and get to the port! I'll teleport you back in a second!" Oren screamed in his head.  
  
Allen was the first to start running, and he blew a trail of wind so powerful that the one's present flew back. Seifer shot off after him.  
  
"This is no time to chase!" Oren screamed after him.  
  
"I'm not chasing, I'm getting the didley-shit out of here!" He yelled.  
  
The rest took his advice and ran as well.  
  
It wasn't long before Oren was way behind, and found himself in a corridor, the body of Omega and Allen waiting there.  
  
"I wish I had realized it before . . . " Allen punched the wall into nothing.  
  
"I thought lives were meaningless, but even I have one. Now, the thought of me dying . . . and this thought on everyone else? Dying is horrible! And I'm a murderer!"  
  
Oren laughed.  
  
"That's how I feel. Too bad the change of heart is so late. Come, there is hope."  
  
"No, my time is up."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A planet can only live for so long, my time is up. I am only happy I never accomplished my-"  
  
Allen started to fall, and Oren ran forward and grabbed him.  
  
"Allen! Come on, not now! We have to get out of here!"  
  
"Omega will tell you."  
  
"I thought you killed him."  
  
"Do you see him materialized?"  
  
"Good point."  
  
"Damn Fantasy Thunder. Damn myself for creating it. Why!?"  
  
"Screw it Allen, there's still a life for you."  
  
"Live, and stop Fantasy Thunder . . . " Allen dissipated into nothing fast, and the lights in the ship got brighter.  
  
Omega raised up, clutching his hearts.  
  
"Stupid bastard . . . I'm not dead yet!"  
  
"Will you stop calling me names!?"  
  
"I was talking about Allen . . . Now you die! Die, Murasaki!"  
  
Omega used every ounce of his strength to stab at Oren, who dodged.  
  
"Omega, why are you so full of hate? Nothing will come of it, your soul is empty-"  
  
Two daggers went into Oren. One into his main heart, and his secondary heart was grazed badly.  
  
"Omega-" he sputtered as they both fell to the ground, dying.  
  
"Why are you such a fool. So many pointless deaths!"  
  
" . . . Death? I thought . . . death!?"  
  
"It's not good, now that you're dying."  
  
"NO! I thought I was erasing them from . . . Oren. " He put his hand on his shoulder as he stood up with the last of his strength.  
  
"I'm not sorry for much of what I did. I have personal beefs with you, I'm a bit glad you are gone" He walked off, tripping over his own feet."  
  
"Tell my sister, Nida, everyone else, I'm so very sorry. You have a sister, you know what it's like. Death? Wiping out of existence?"  
  
"I had a sister, Omega. But I will tell everyone you're sorry."  
  
"Here's a little secret, she's still alive"  
  
"Don't bother cheering me up."  
  
"I'm serious. Death . . . how horrible."  
  
"It is a fate worse than death. They won't even exist."  
  
"Fantasy Thunder, accursed machine!" he yelled up.  
  
Oren's primary heart was probably a goner, but his secondary heart was holding out. At the rate it was going, he might live, or die.  
  
He found the strength to stand up.  
  
"Allen said he wanted you to tell me something. What is it?"  
  
" . . . Nothing comes of hate. There are two gates. Auxiliary power, Oren. I will seal up one."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Only a Zatach body! If not, then there is a chance Fantasy Thunder will still be activated."  
  
"What will happen to all of the bodies of your comrades?"  
  
"They are strong. They will be blown, but not killed. Seeing as they are Zatach, their spirits will attract them to planets like Gaia . . . they can start new lives. But I must seal that gate!"  
  
"What will happen to you?"  
  
"I will die."  
  
"What?"  
  
"One gate might be all it needs, but Fantasy Thunder may act on its own. It's risky, but if you sacrifice yourself, then you can seal that last gate, Oren. It may not be necessary, but if you're dying you might as well."  
  
"Omega . . . rest well in the beyond."  
  
"I will see you there someday. I hope my empty heart is spared . . . "  
  
Omega looked up, and yelled a mighty yell. A chasm appeared above him, and he was sucked in at the speed of sound.  
  
"Where is the other gate!?"  
  
"It will find you. Goodbye, and remember my words-" Omega's voice died and fragments of red energy came floating. The great warrior was gone for good.  
  
Everyone had been evacuated. Cloud, Zidane, Squall, and Tidus all remained for worry of Oren, who they had grown close to. Seifer stood with them, even though only a few minutes remained until self-destruction.  
  
Seifer felt a feminine hand on his shoulder.  
  
"What?" he turned around.  
  
"Jessica!"  
  
He cut off her oxygen supply and she struggled.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine! I've been fine! Please let go! Zatach recover quickly!"  
  
Seifer looked her in the eyes.  
  
"If I had lost you . . . "  
  
"You didn't, and we can go on with our lives. Soon, Fantasy Thunder will be gone for good and this pointless escapade will be concluded! Where's Oren?"  
  
"Something you should know . . . "  
  
"That was my brother . . . I saw him at least once."  
  
"I'm sorry about what he did."  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"I felt his soul, it was so full of anger and hatred. But something- someone, healed that. And in his last moments, I felt Omega extend apologies . . . "  
  
"I still think he's bad to the bone, but I'm glad. Did Oren kill him?"  
  
She explained to everyone.  
  
"There are two gates, Omega sealed one with his body. Oren could use his own to seal the last, but it may not be necessary. I say we just leave and let the one gate remain."  
  
Oren limped up, clutching his hearts.  
  
"Yo"  
  
"Oren! Great heavens!" She ran to him and held him as he doubled over.  
  
"Who the hell did this?"  
  
"You don't want to know."  
  
"Please . . . not Omega."  
  
"It was part of his plan. He thought I might have nothing to lose by sealing the last gate . . . but I might live you know."  
  
"Shut up, you will live. You're probably the most important person to me still alive. Come on, we're out of here."  
  
Seifer and the others were hesitant to leave, and Jessica slowly dragged Oren as he struggled to walk.  
  
"Don't try to walk!"  
  
"Can't you pull a bit faster?"  
  
"We have a whole five minutes! And your remaining heart is weak, I won't kill you."  
  
"You don't have to worry about that."  
  
"What are you-shut up. Be quiet right now!"  
  
"You can silence me-" he broke into a fit of coughs and blood drops came out. Everyone cringed.  
  
"But I won't make it. Oren Murasaki is leaving this cruel universe"  
  
"I swear on everything holy I will kill you myself if you say that again."  
  
"Either way I'll-"  
  
"Be quiet!"  
  
Oren shook his head.  
  
"Oren . . . "  
  
Tears trailed down, and then floated into the air before they could hit the ground. Artificial gravity was shutting down.  
  
"You can't die! Everyone's depending on you! If you die-many others will be erased!"  
  
"Not immediately, they can . . . say goodbye. Warn them for me."  
  
A circular gate of light appeared about twelve feet over Oren, and he laughed. "Some grim reaper-" He broke into a fit of coughs.  
  
Jessica tried to stop herself from slapping him.  
  
"Oren Murasaki, I'll say this one more time, shut the hell up."  
  
Seifer put a hand on her shoulder and she shook it off uncomfortably as she continued to kneel and cry.  
  
Gravity became lighter and her hair floated up and around, the light making her seem like some sort of bizarre angel.  
  
"And my angel."  
  
"Oren, please"  
  
The gate started glowing and whirring.  
  
"Oren, you were a great guy. I'll never forget you." Said Cloud, waving at him.  
  
Oren waved back.  
  
Squall laughed.  
  
"I really think you're something. You left a mark on this world, and in our hearts, man."  
  
"Later, gunblade master."  
  
"After all you've done, you should be the last one to die."  
  
"But here I am, life's screwy, ain't it?" he responded to Zidane.  
  
Tidus looked down, and then up.  
  
"Hard to believe. After all this, you'll be gone. Hey, it could've been worse!"  
  
"Damn straight."  
  
"In the afterlife, buddy." Tidus said, giving a thumbs-up.  
  
Oren struggled to give one back, and succeeded.  
  
He looked up to Seifer.  
  
"I don't care what anyone says, Almassy, you're a hell of a guy. Take care of her."  
  
He nodded.  
  
Cloud turned blue, and then stopped. The same thing happened to Zidane, Tidus, Seifer, and Squall.  
  
"I'm not super strong or fast anymore . . . " Cloud mentioned.  
  
"Eta, Theta, and Mu's pods have shut down." Jessica explained though tears, but it was hard to believe how she could explain such things considering the circumstances.  
  
Cloud looked around.  
  
"Not much time. Later Oren, you da' man!"  
  
Everyone left, and Seifer looked at Jessica.  
  
"Alright, make sure you escape on time, we won't leave without you." He said, leaving as well.  
  
Jessica looked at the exit.  
  
"Jess, you have a minute and eight seconds."  
  
"Don't call me that again."  
  
"Like I'll get the chance."  
  
The two shared a last laugh.  
  
He whispered into her ear.  
  
"You were like a second sister to me. I love you."  
  
"And I will never forget-" her voice cracked and she cried a bit more.  
  
"I won't forget you."  
  
"Live, start a family, anything. All of this . . . it was worth it. Remember, if you ever see the sky and it's really blue . . . "  
  
"I'll always see you. I couldn't forget you if I tried, Murasaki."  
  
"Farewell-"  
  
He floated towards the gate, his body about to give out.  
  
"And live!"  
  
He disappeared, the gate sealed, and Jessica left with fifteen seconds remaining. Almost all the gas of Esthar Garden was depleted when Nida, up and running, fired the engines to maximum burn and sent them out of there at thousands of miles per hour.  
  
Oren Murasaki's body disappeared into nothing but blue energy. He was launched into space, and his body's energy returned to the place of the broken planet.  
  
That day, his body was finally gone and gone for good from the universe, never to return.  
  
Not the end of the fic  
  
AN: This ain't the end, the last chapter sums it all up. I hope you enjoyed, I'm going to finish it up in the final part.  
  
[Message from Oren]  
  
Hate brings nothing but destruction, but Love can accomplish anything. No matter the circumstance, it is important to use your heart to fight battles, not the blade. 


	31. Chapter 25: Murasaki

Fantasy Thunder Chapter Twenty-Five: Murasaki  
  
By Blue Dragon  
  
They have done it. They have defeated us, or rather, WE defeated us. The army has accomplished the impossible, and they can rest from their long, hard battle. Good work, all of you. My diaries end here, as I am no longer living.  
  
--Omega  
  
Esthar Garden settled slowly back on the grass near the old Balamb Garden, which was being remodeled to be a bigger ship like the new Esthar Garden. It was a rainy day, contradicting the great battle that had been won.  
  
Jessica walked alone down to her room, most of the garden vacated due to students leaving to see their families and the many festivities in the quad.  
  
"Hey" Seifer called from behind her.  
  
She turned around.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"No . . . "  
  
She couldn't hold back the tears after talking again, and Seifer went to comfort her.  
  
"What's even worse . . . we have to go to say goodbye. Oren's-" it hurt to say the name again.  
  
"His effect will wear off in a few minutes. You all will be taken back to wherever the first ones entered this planet, and the ones he brought back . . . "  
  
"Squall's taking care of that."  
  
"People of garden" he announced as if on cue.  
  
"We have experienced battles, losses, and finally a decisive victory. Oren Murasaki is dead, vanished from this universe. All of you brought to this planet with any sort of teleportation will be returned in a matter of minutes, and those that Oren revived . . . All of you that qualify and those that engaged, please report to the conference room."  
  
Some of the rooms had to be extended to make space for everyone. Not everyone had understood, but Jessica was counting down in her head when each effect would begin, and stood on the podium, trying not to concentrate on anything but the task at hand.  
  
Seifer walked up the stage and whispered into her ear.  
  
"Are you staying here?"  
  
She nodded slowly.  
  
Seifer was a bit relieved, and walked back off.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, the inhabitants of Spira will be returned to that planet and in the airship stationed there in forty-two seconds. Please say goodbye . . . "  
  
Tidus shook Cloud, Squall, and Zidane's hands.  
  
"It's been an honor meeting you. After everything we've been through, it seems weird to go back to normal life."  
  
He looked to Squall.  
  
"I'm definitely going to try to get a gunblade in Spira!"  
  
Squall couldn't help but chuckle.  
  
"One announcement, we would like to thank Cid the Al Bhed for his wonderful expertise, and fixing the engines after Nida punished them back in space. We would also like to thank him for his piloting skills, you were a real help."  
  
You could hear the old man congratulate himself and Highwind put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Thanks for those engine plans, I'll have to remodel the Highwind to go even faster!"  
  
The Al Bhed laughed.  
  
"I'll be seeing you."  
  
The one's from Spira began to glow blue, and Rikku looked at Sephiroth one last time.  
  
"You'll go back to the farplane, won't you?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I wish I could see you again . . . "  
  
"Maybe if you go to your farplane, find my image, I just might be available for conversation."  
  
"But no one has ever-"  
  
"You never know."  
  
The last of the ice around the silver-haired man's heart melted for good and Rikku disappeared in their embrace, and they all went back to where they came from.  
  
Jessica continued.  
  
"Anyone from Gaia, you will be returning in forty-eight seconds."  
  
Zidane shook Squall and Cloud's hands.  
  
"You guys were the bomb. You really showed me a few things back there."  
  
"It was cool having something like a Genome around" Squall returned.  
  
Cloud handed him one of his spare swords, the Ragnarok.  
  
"Hey, take up swordsmanship if you feel like it."  
  
Zidane's face lit up.  
  
"Definitely. I'll be seein' ya then, later!"  
  
Soon enough, right after Jessica thanked Regent Cid for his amazing architectural designs, they Gaia crew disappeared.  
  
"Thirty seconds before Cloud, his friends, and anyone from the Mako- enriched planet return. Say your goodbyes. Cid and Nida, your flying was wonderful. Thank you."  
  
Cloud shook Squall's hand and patted him on the back.  
  
"I don't know how, but I hope we meet again."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"It's been great. Enjoy your tribulation-free life" he joked.  
  
Cloud smiled, waved, and walked back to his group where everyone he knew, Marlene on Barret's shoulder hugging him, and even the disappointed-looking Sephiroth waited.  
  
Reeve twirled his gun.  
  
"This trip sure helped out my skills. I'll show them IRS agents!"  
  
They began to fade out and disappeared. Everyone was back where he or she belonged.  
  
Cloud was in a wide field with everyone else outside of Cosmo Canyon, and immediately Sephiroth began to fade.  
  
"I never liked you all, but you are capable fighters. And Cloud?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Good luck."  
  
He disappeared from existence, and Aeris began to follow. Painful memories resurfaced.  
  
"I won't ever forget you, ever"  
  
Cloud hugged her deeply and she kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"It is wonderful that I could help. This universe has been salvaged."  
  
She turned and waved, as she was almost gone.  
  
"Goodbye everyone, live happy lives . . . " She too, disappeared out of existence.  
  
Kiros couldn't stop the tears. She was gone. They had shared a last kiss, and now she was gone, forever.  
  
"You'll get over her, I'm really sorry." Laguna tried to comfort, but to no avail.  
  
" . . . I won't ever be able to get over this."  
  
Things were a little bad, but Squall and everyone else could get on with their lives. And now that they had Esthar Garden, what wonderful lives they could lead.  
  
Auron, Jecht, Braska, and Seymour all said goodbyes save the last who was asleep, and no one felt perturbed at their departure. It was now as if they were always there. Tidus was afraid he would disappear, but it didn't happen and he was relieved  
  
The airship was ready, and they were on their way. No one had thought about life after the battle, but here it was, waiting for them . . .  
  
Somewhere in the universe  
  
The brave souls of those fighters were put to rest, they lived out their lives, but without complication . . . ?  
  
An orb of blue floated around in the depths of space.  
  
Perhaps there is more to Fantasy Thunder than can ever be known.  
  
--fin  
  



	32. As Dictated by Fate and Blue

A cause fought is never lost  
  
A fight attempted is always worth fighting  
  
There is never harm in fighting off  
  
The oppressor, the dominant, the one.  
  
No one should be forced to live a life of turmoil  
  
No one should be forced to fight for an unjust cause  
  
The needs of many should never be sacrificed for the needs of few  
  
--In the end, there was only blue 


End file.
